EuroGeoSurveys Annu’ 11al Report page 2 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

33 Geological Survey organisations from across Europe

A workforce that includes thousands of geoscientists at the service of European citizens

Pioneering research for Society’s benefit since 1971 page 3 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

Content

Executive Summary 4

EGS in Brief 5

Conversation with Marko Komac 7

Key People 8

EGS exceeds all boundaries and strengthens its role 13

Celebrating 40 years of activity 17

Earth moving 22

The shape of our business 31

Integrating expertise 102

Publications 133

There’s more 136 page 4 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

Executive Summary

The year 2011 has marked the 40th Anniversary of a feasibility study on the creation of a European devastating energy may reach similar heights EuroGeoSurveys, which has allowed us to look Geological Data Infrastructure (EGDI). (>10m). Historically several destructive tsunamis back at our past and the steps made during four occurred in the Mediterranean basin. In 1908 one decades. This way the Geological Surveys of Europe This phase has also witnessed the set up of a Task single event caused about 80,000 casualties along could confront with the dramatic transformation our Force on International Cooperation and Development the Eastern Sicily and Southern Calabria coastlines. organisation has gone through during this period. and of a Task Force on Superficial Deposits, as a It has progressively evolved from a network for continuation of the trend to make the EGS Expert Geological Surveys Directors to a melting pot of Groups role increasingly significant for the operation joint research and exchange of scientific of our organisation. During 2011 they have even competences, up to the current umbrella more than previously acted as the operational arm organisation regularly advising the EU institutions of EGS, integrating their work under the leadership and at the service of the 33 members to facilitate of the Chairpersons and the horizontal coordination large pan-European actions. of the Spatial Information Expert Group.

Such a transformation has significantly accelerated A large project involving all the EGS members was during the past few years, especially driven by also kicked off: PanGeo, a GMES service enabling the increasing demand by EU institutions for both access to geological information that will provide independent advice and geological data and free access to geohazard information for many of information. In particular, the increasing importance the largest cities in Europe. of the raw materials supply policy and the attention given to emerging research needs, such as in the Unfortunately 2011 brought also some bad news. field of unconventional fossil fuels (e.g. shale gas), The worst of all from a geological point of view was have been major drivers for increasing the certainly the Japanese earthquake and tsunami. importance and recognition of EGS as a major EU The world was shocked by the disastrous events institutions partner. on 11 March 2011 which severely hurt the Fukushima nuclear power plant and killed hundreds of people. 2011 has also shown that the transition phase has not concluded, having seen the EGS members The tragedy reopened the issue of tsunami hazard actively engaged in the definition of a new in Europe, where the risk is significant particularly multiannual Strategy Action Plan, and in high-level for countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea. debates on how to better serve the needs of the Although earthquakes of a magnitude comparable EU. The discussions lead to the conception and to that of the recent earthquake in offshore Japan submission of an ambitious proposal to carry out are not expected in Europe, tsunami waves with page 5 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

Geochemistry information infrastructure 5 INSPIRE, GEOSS, EGS in Brief • Distribution of natural backgrounds and anomalies One Geology…) in rocks, sediments, soil and water • Focus on the global consistency of the way spatial information has to be defined, managed and EuroGeoSurveys (EGS) is a non-profit organisation • Exploration for energy and mineral resources delivered to provide harmonized services at the working solely for the public interest, which • Support to land-use planning and public health European scale. represents 33 national geological surveys in policies Europe and an overall workforce of several International Cooperation and thousand specialists. GeoEnergy Development The EGS mission is to provide public Earth science • Exploration and assessment of fossil energy • International cooperation focus on Africa: knowledge to support the EU’s competitiveness, sources European data available for the African Geological social well-being, environmental management and • Development of renewable geothermal energy Surveys international commitments. Therefore our actions underpin European policies and regulations for the Water Resources • Future collaboration with Latin-southern America benefit of society. • Characterisation of Groundwater bodies Soil Resources - Superficial Deposits and their recharge area • Exploration and integration of existing experiences • Groundwater resources exploration, exploitation, WE ARE ACTIVE IN : and datasets on the distribution, properties management and protection and weathering behavior of exposed rocks and Marine Geology • Pollution mitigation and remediation superficial deposits • Marine Geology database Mineral Resources • Harmonization of existing parent material • Sedimentological, geochemical, geophysical information, and integration of it towards • Exploration, characterisation and exploitation of and paleontological information of the ocean floor a European-wide new geological data layer: mineral deposits and coastal areas. a soil parent material map of Europe • Mineral economics and statistics • Exploration for energy and mineral resources • Environmental protection around mining site Cities and Geoheritage • Enviromental protection and post-closure mitigation • Engineering geology for safe construction • Marine geological information as a basis for • Use of subsurface space for infrastructure marine spatial planning Climate change and Carbon Capture and storage Earth Observation - GeoHazards and Storage • Waste disposal • Satellite, airborne and ground-based Earth • Paleoclimates and paleogeography • Protection of heritage made of natural stone

observation for geoscience • Storage of CO2 in geological formations • Geoparks and geoturism • Mapping, characterising and monitoring areas • Impacts of climate change exposed to geohazards • Geoscience contributions to EC Global Monitoring Spatial Information - INSPIRE for Environment & Security • Provide with a clear technical strategy to • Global Earth Observing System of Systems guarantee the adequacy of the developments of for Disasters, Energy & Geo-resource its infrastructure in the context of global spatial page 6 I EGS 2011 Annual Report page 7 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

Conversation with Marko Komac Director of Geological Survey of Slovenia - EUROGEOSURVEYS PRESIDENT 2011-2012

Respected reader,

The Year 2011 was special for EuroGeoSurveys Europe is facing tough times. Effective tackling (EGS). Fourty years ago, in 1971, directors of of Europe’s present financial, demographic and several Geological Surveys from north-western resource challenges will bring advances in Europe met and agreed on the enhancement of economy, technology and society. These are future cooperation. What at the beginning was a important issues for Europe’s competitiveness gentlemen club with no written rules and no formal on a global scale especially with new economic or semi-formal structure, it has evolved and grown powers emerging. It’s no secret geosciences and in proceeding decades into today’s form of legal consequentially NGSOS jointly under the umbrella organisation with 33 Members - National of EGS are already playing and will keep playing an Geological Survey Organisations (NGSO) - important role in the process of overcoming future with a staff of more than 10,000 and a Secretariat obstacles the European continent is confronting. in Brussels with a permanent staff of five that has With our knowledge, expertise, tradition, through a continuous back-office support of numerous centuries collected data, stored in vast archives experts in different geoscientific or related fields. and long lasting experience of transnational cooperation we, the EGS members have the will, Despite the fact that fourty years does not the ability, the social commitment and the represent more than an instant in time for know-how to step into these big shoes of geologists, it is still a proof that geological surveys responsibility to the European taxpayers to ensure of Europe knew far ahead (in human time their better tomorrow. perception) of many politicians that geology does not acknowledge the political boundaries. If one The EGS Annual report 2011 that you’re holding in wants to effectively manage geology related your hands is an excellent proof that the words challenges or problems these have to be tackled above are not just letters on a paper but a reality. with a holistical approach and in a transboundary, I recommend a thorough reading of it. If you’re a regionally or in pan-European scale. Today EGS geologist you might find some good ideas for your itself or by its members proves to be one of the future work. If you’re not, you’ll learn that geology pillars of successful environmental, mineral is not only dull at all and that it spreads from micro resource, energy and geo-IT European policies to macro scale, from laboratory to field work, and and processes. from distant past to future events. Just turn to the next page... And enjoy!.

Marko Komac page 8 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

Key People Board of Directors Working together to reach our goals

Expert knowledge at the disposal of all European Expert citizens, institutions, companies, media, universities, … groups Adil Neziraj Albanian Geological Survey - AGS Secretary general The Executive Committee is the primary decision-making body. It implements Peter Seifert the strategy formulated by the General Assembly Geological Survey of Austria - GBA of Members and makes proposals for future actions. BOARD OF DIRECTORS EXECUTIVE President Michiel Dusar Marko Komac COMMITTEE Geological Survey of Belgium - GSB Geological Survey of Slovenia - GeoZS Todor Dimitrov Ministry of Environment and Water - National Directorate of Subsurface and Underground Vice-President delegates Resorces - MEET- Bulgaria Johnny Fredericia Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland - GEUS Josip Halamic The Secretary General Geological Survey of Croatia - is responsible for the day-to-day operational HGI-CGS Treasurer management and administration of EGS, contacts Peter Seifert with the European Commission and other third Eleni Georgiu-Morrisseau Geological Survey of Austria - parties, managing the budget and carrying out Ministry of Agriculture, GBA the activities agreed by all Members. Natural Resources and Environments Geological Survey Department - GSD - Cyprus

Member Secretary General Olivier Lateltin Luca Demicheli Geological Surveys of Switzerland - Geological Survey of Italy - Zdenek Venera SWISSTOPO ISPRA Czech Geological Survey - CGS Key People page 9 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

Board of Directors (continued)

Johnny Fredericia Morten Smelror Rosa de Vidania Geological Survey of Denmark Olafur Florenz Geological Survey Instituto Geológico y Minero and Greenland - GEUS Iceland Geological Survey - ISOR of Norway - NGU de España - IGME

Jerzy Nawrocki Aivar Pajupuu Patrick O’ Connor Polish Geological Institute - Jan Magnusson Geological Survey Geological Survey National Research Institute - Sveriges Geologiska of Estonia - EGK of Ireland - GSI PGI-NRI Undersokning - SGU

Bernardo De Bernardinis Teresa Ponce de Leão Elias Ekdahl President Institute for Environmental President Laboratorio Nacional Olivier Lateltin Geological Survey Protection and Research - de Energia e Geologia - LNEG - Geological Surveys of Switzerland - of Finland - GTK ISPRA - Italy Portugal SWISSTOPO

Jean-François Rocchi Mário Rui Machado Leite Bureau de Recherches Laboratorio Nacional Géologiques et Minières - Claudio Campobasso de Energia e Geologia - LNEG - John Ludden BRGM Geological Survey of Italy - ISPRA Portugal British Geological Survey - BGS

Hans-Joachim Kümpel Bundesanstalt für Jouzas Mockevicius Stefan Marincea Eduard Sravytskiy Geowissenschaften Geological Institute Geological Institute of Romania - State Geological and Subsurface und Rohstoffe - BGR of Lithuania - LGT GIR Survey of Ukraine - SGSSU

Oleg Petrov Kostas Papavasileiou Robert Maquil A.P. Karpinsky all Russia Sergiy Goshovskiy Institute of Geology and Service Geologique Geological Research Institute - Ukrainian State Geological Mineral Exploration - IGME - Greece Du Luxembourg - SGL VSEGEI Research Institute - UkrSGRI

Branislav Zec Panagiotis Mitropoulos Anthony Rizzo State Geological Institute Institute of Geology and Malta Resources Authority - of Dionyz Stur - SGUDS - Mineral Exploration - IGME - Greece MRA Slovak Republic

László Kordos Mart J. van Bracht Marko Komac Geological and Geophysical Geological Survey of Geological Survey Institute of Hungary - MFGI the Netherlands - TNO of Slovenia - GeoZS Key People page 10 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

National Delegates They represent the National contact points of each Geological Survey.

Albania AGS Arben Pambuku Luxembourg SGL Robert Maquil Austria GBA Hans-Georg Krenmayr Malta MRA Julie Auerbach Belgium GSB Cecile Baeteman Netherlands TNO Tirza Van Haalen Bulgaria MOEW Valeri Trendafilov Netherlands TNO Paul Bogaard Croatia HGI-CGS Josip Halamic Norway NGU Jan Host Cyprus GSD Stelio Nicolaides Poland PGI-NRI Ilona Smietanska CzechRep CGS Ivana Svojtkova Portugal LNEG Maria Luísa Duarte Denmark GEUS Jens Stockmarr Portugal LNEG Rita Caldeira Estonia EGK Jaan Kivisilla Romania GIR Marcel Maruntiu Finland GTK Mika Räisänen Russia VSEGEI Oleg Petrov France BRGM Jacques Varet Slovakia GSSR Alena Klukanova Germany BGR Birgit Kuhns Slovenia GeoZS Marko Komac Germany State-Hamburg Renate Taugs Spain IGME Manuel Regueiro Greece IGME Nikolaos Arvanitidis Spain Region Catalonia IGC Xavier Berastegui Hungary MFGI Annamária Nádor Sweden SGU Lisbeth Hildebrand Iceland ISOR Ingibjorg Kaldal Switzerland SWISSTOPO Peter Hayoz Ireland GSI Patrick O´Connor Ukraine UkrSGRI Boris Malyuk Italy ISPRA Claudio Campobasso United Kingdom BGS Nick Riley Italy Region Emilia-Romagna Michela Grandi United Kingdom BGS Vicky Hards Lithuania LGT Juozas Mockevicius Key People page 11 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

Expert Groups CHAIRS

Spatial Information (INSPIRE) : Marine Geology : François Robida Henry Vallius Bureau de Recherches Geological Survey of Finland - GTK Géologiques et Minières - BRGM

Earth Observation - Carbon Capture and Storage -

GeoHazards : EGS.CO2 : Stuart Marsh Kris Piessens British Geological Survey - BGS Geological Survey of Belgium - GSB International Cooperation and Development : Geochemistry : Marek Graniczny Clemens Reimann Polish Geological Institute - Geological Survey of Norway - NGU National Research Institute - PGI-NRI

GeoEnergy : Soil Resources - Superficial deposits : Peter Britze Rainer Baritz Geological Survey Bundesanstalt für Geowissenshaften of Denmark and Greenland - GEUS und Rohstoffe - BGR - BGR

Water Resources : Hans Peter Broers Geological Survey of the Netherlands - TNO

Mineral Resources : Slavko V. Šolar Geological Survey of Slovenia - GeoZS page 12 I EGS 2011 Annual Report page 13 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

EGS exceeds all boundaries and strengthens its role

2011 is marked by intense networking activity The Organisation of African Geological Surveys skills and technological competences. Addressing culminated in the signature of several important (OAGS) is a relatively in it’s infancy and these challenges requires that the appropriate agreements. The efforts made involved not only EuroGeoSurveys can offer very strong support. In technologies, processes and products are in place, Europe with the agreement of the European particular EuroGeoSurveys has established a good along with adequate policies to implement and technology Platform on Sustainable Mineral relation with several African Survey Directors stimulate the required changes. Resources (ETP-SMR) but also the rest of the based on the proposal to help unlock the geological world with agreements with the Organisation of data on Africa held by European Geological The European Technology Platform on Sustainable African Geological Surveys (OAGS). Surveys. This evolved into the proposal to make Mineral Resources (ETP SMR) is nowadays the European data on Africa available to the Organization right answer to those challenges, established in Unlocking the geological of the African Geological Surveys (OAGS) members. 2005 and officially recognized in September 2008, data on Africa This was done to strengthen the cooperation with unites many stakeholders from mining industry, OAGS countries and form a good platform for joint the research community, regulators, consumers In the last few years the necessity to establish actions. The co-operation has already started with and civil society to reach a competitive and closer ties with Africa has become increasingly exchange of experts and with workshops . The sustainable European economy. evident. Europe is no longer able to cope with the mineral resources in Africa are immense, but the demand for raw materials and to recover the loss decision makers should choose them as a priority, The ETP SMR presently consists of the High Level of competitiveness so it needs to go beyond its and this is easier with the help of Europeans, that Group (HLG), the Steering Committee, and the borders. And at the same time Africa needs to could create a win-win situation for both parties. Secretariat. From the 1st of July 2012 the ETP SMR develop their mineral resources, have the facilities, (Check with Luca about this sentence because we commissioned EGS the responsibility the infrastructures and the human capacity. need to be very careful how we present this) of running the ETP SMR secretariat. In this framework EGS provides both administrative In this framework EGS produced concrete results in EGS established a specific task force called the and technical support to the Platform and assists in terms of guiding the European cooperation efforts « International Cooperation and Development Task the implementation of its Work Programme under with Africa on geological knowledge and skills . The Force » to guarantee the development of this the guidance of the Steering Committee. strengthening of the capacity of the Organisation of agreement. Africa Geological Surveys is a pre-requisite for this The ETP SMR focuses its activities on access to co-operation. EuroGeosurveys’ expertise and its Modern society is essential and critical mineral raw materials public status represent the main impetus for the increasingly dependent on (exploration, mining, smelting, recycling and Africa geological Surveys in their efforts raw mineral resources metallurgical recovery and refining, including the tostrengthen geological mapping capacity, develop highly innovative enabling technologies and common trans-boundary cartography at regional The EU faces a number of major societal equipment industry) through innovation point of level , harmonise data collection and ensure the challenges from the availability of critical and view, perfectly in line with the European Innovation interoperability of data sets. essential raw materials from primary and Partnership on Raw Materials proposed by EU, secondary sources to the availability of jobs, based on 3 pillar: fostering sustainable supply EGS exceeds all boundaries and strengthens its role page 14 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

within the EU and boosting resource efficiency and Today, the deepest European underground mines In the framework “invisible, zero-impact mine” recycling. operate at about 1,000 to 1,500 meters below this will only be possible by moving installations surface. Within the next 20 to 30 years, several of from the surface to underground and implementing The ETP-SMR aims to develop innovative those mines will operate at depths far below a complete new layout of the mines of tomorrow. technologies/solutions along the entire value chain 1,500 meters. for cost effective, safe, environmentally and By 2020, ETP SMR will provide to EU a comprehensive socially sound raw materials, including primary These depths will require the development of new overview about available intra-EU geological and secondary sources. The main objective is to mining methods to maintain safe working conditions, mineral resource and metal potential (primary propose specific issues for demonstrating ten increase productivity and production rates, and resources) and of the mineral resource and metal innovative pilot plants for raw materials extraction, reduce waste and tailings as well as mining costs to potential in the “urban mine” (secondary sources). processing, and recycling, within the Innovation maintain competitiveness on international markets. ETP SMR will have developed new, advanced Partnership on Raw Materials. exploration technologies for land and sea-based exploration as well as tools to assess the resource potential in technical infrastructure and products put on the market, giving the opportunity to EU to maintain and develop further technological leadership.

In the framework of mineral processing the ETP SMR will identify new ore and concentrates processing technologies that will allow steep changes in energy, water and emissions intensity and will allow treating more complex (primary and secondary) mineral resources. These technologies will pave the way for expanding European business and future advanced jobs.

The whole value chain covering from raw materials extraction to marketed products. The metals life cycle starts with exploration and mining to provide first hand access and bring materials from the geosphere into the technosphere. From then on the basic concept is simple: extract metals at high rates from the ores, use them as efficiently as possible in the manufacturing process of products, avoid dissipation during the use and End of Life (EoL) phase and minimise losses of metals into residues during all phases of the life cycle. By doing so metals can be reused to a high percentage for a second, third etc. life cycle. EGS exceeds all boundaries and strengthens its role page 15 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

Moreover Europe will be able to maintain its By 2020, the recycling rates of critical and technology advanced technology in metals production and metals will be at least above 10% in the EU and by develop further its know-how in order to be able to 2050, the recycling rates of critical and technology process even lower grade and/or complex (primary metals will be at least above 25% and an overall and secondary) materials in the most sustainable way. 10% increase in recycling rate is reached for all other metals. But all these actions are not sufficient if the EU will not become the leading continent with regard to This gives the opportunity to improve the extraction recycling of critical and essential raw materials. from secondary sources increasing the overall The future of metals recycling is under great threat. availability of resources for the EU economy. The competitiveness of this industrial activity is rapidly deteriorating due to excessive regulatory In the framework, training and education became constraints and international trade and competitive an essential part to foster innovations in the raw distortions. materials sector.

To make recycling of raw materials or raw material- Besides innovations in technology, we also need containing products more efficient, it is necessary to: social innovations to develop skills and transfer knowledge and understanding within and beyond • mobilize End of Life (EoL) products with critical current practice. raw materials for proper collection A secure access to raw materials also requires • improve overall organization, logistics and capable human resources. The EIP on RM hence efficiency of recycling chains focus on interfaces has to play an important role to raise awareness and system approach among young people for the significance of the sector as a corner stone in the sustainable • prevent illegal exports of EoL products containing development of Europe and to attract more critical raw materials and increasing students to engage in related fields. transparency in flow;

• promote research on system optimisation and recycling of technically challenging products and substances. page 16 I EGS 2011 Annual Report page 17 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

Celebrating 40 years of activity

In 2011 EuroGeoSurveys celebrated 40 years of on a 40 year history of cooperation and balance regarding hospitality (anything excessive activity. During those years EGS has become more achievement in European geoscience. was not appreciated) and he devoted much and more a formal organisation within the EU attention to drafting and revising the minutes of the system, a reference point for each national geological The first network of European geological surveys business meetings. Surveys of the continent, a European geoscientific was established in Orleans in 1971 with the birth data repository and center for geological of WEGS (Western European Geological Surveys). WEGS Directors saw considerable value in intelligence integrating different policies . This was an informal discussion group comprising maintaining this valuable network. Gradually they  the Directors of its member organisations: established a number of thematic working groups GEOSCIENCE COOPERATION the cluster of national geological surveys of which encouraged staff to share experience and, IN EUROPE: 40 YEARS OF Western Europe and Scandinavia, as well as on occasion, to develop joint projects. However ACHIEVEMENT Cyprus, Greece and Turkey. West Germany, rather there is no doubt that WEGS would have had a than Germany, was a member and it was joined limited impact on European institutions and A success story told by Dr. Peadar McArdle, by a representative of the geological surveys of national governments. This was about to change. former Director of the Geological Survey the Lander. At the time Greenland had a geological of Ireland survey which was separate from that of Denmark. In 1992, after 20 years of networking, WEGS published its first coordinated and comprehensive The blustery weather of September 2010 did not Many WEGS participants referred to their statement (Lumsden 1992) on behalf of its dampen the enthusiasm of the representatives of organisation as a Club: it had a stable membership 21 members. Entitled “Geology and the Environment Front Cover of the book Geology 30 geological surveys gathered in Copenhagen. with relatively few staff other than Directors in Western Europe”, it was intended to demonstrate and the Environment in Western Europe In two days of presentations and discussions, attending. Its relaxed atmosphere belied the fact the types of issues to which geological surveys they reviewed the key issues facing geological that it had well established but unwritten rules. might contribute at the national and European surveys at the European level, monitored progress Decisions were taken only by consensus and the scales. It succeeded in showing how geological among their internal thematic working groups, position of Chairperson rotated among all members surveys interact with government, industry and interacted with a variety of guests, and dealt on an annual basis. The annual meeting in early academe. Despite an admittedly technical treatment, with a wide range of organisational issues. September had a well-tried formula of social the book did in practice reach an audience that They then set off to experience Denmark’s varied events, business meeting and excursion. A high extended beyond the limits of the Geoscience landscapes and appreciate examples of how proportion of partners attended, providing stability Community and, in so doing, can be regarded as geoscience contributes to Danish society - from to the network and enhancing its social dimension. the first brave step by geological surveys in the educational and tourism value of Mons Klint One couple was very important in establishing its demonstrating their relevance to society at large. Geo Center to the use of chalk in the paper industry culture and continuity: the Secretary, Alan Archer, and the management of drinking and waste water and his wife, Jane, who served in an unpaid Even as WEGS took increasing notice of its political in the city of Odense. This group of Eurogeosurveys capacity from 1971 until about 1998. Fastidious and environment so that very environment itself began Directors, National Delegates and partners were attentive, Alan ensured new Directors were swiftly to change. The collapse of the Soviet system in the participating in a distinguished tradition based absorbed into the group, he enforced a careful late 1980s had a major impact on the practice of Celebrating 40 years of activity page 18 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

geoscience across Europe. Geological surveys in The membership of FOREGS increased to over 30 western and central Europe took a greater interest by the mid-1990s, this rapid growth reflecting the in each other’s activities, wished to share desire of surveys in central and Eastern Europe to experiences and aspired to cooperating with each affiliate. A survey of these new members in 1995 other. Many far-sighted geologists and Directors indicated that they were pre-occupied with providing helped this process. For example, Gabor Gaal, a comprehensive and balanced service at a time of a Hungarian geochemist who worked in a senior diminishing resources and reducing staff members. position in the Geological Survey of Finland, returned as Director of his homeland’s survey for They looked to FOREGS networking to increase a time and his influence was very positive. the exchange of experience and ideas, as well as to participate in collaborative projects that might This effectively led to the transformation of WEGS attract European funding. Many looked to FOREGS into the Forum of European Geological Surveys to promote the value of geological surveys, (FOREGS), with the latter established by 1993. thereby enhancing their reputation and influence, WEGS morphed into FOREGS without fanfare in as well as staff morale. But above all, new the twelve months following the September 1992 members wanted to participate in specialist meeting of Directors. While FOREGS reflected the working groups, with their potential for establishing Photo of the FOREGS Family taken geographic expansion of membership there is no and maintaining international standards. Most in Dublin Castle, September 1995. doubt that it also characterised some changes in urgent in this regard was the need to transit to FOREGS would have a short life but it did provide a the way the organisation functioned. Now it had more digital databases. In addition to information useful transitional vehicle. members, they came from more diverse backgrounds management, FOREGS had active working groups (both scientifically and culturally) and their in remote sensing, geochemical mapping, marine FOREGS had a relatively simple structure. Its Directors tended to have shorter periods of tenure. and industrial minerals. Board consisted of the present, past and future Chairmen (for they were all male!). It met annually The “Club” atmosphere of WEGS diminished and, However transitions are rarely painless and not all in June to conduct the business of FOREGS, which in any event, many felt that a more business-like Directors were equally pleased with the progress principally consisted of preparing the agenda for approach was appropriate. There were varied of FOREGS. Already work had started on the the Annual Meeting of Directors in September. expectations of the benefits of membership - formation of Eurogeosurveys which would focus on FOREGS had a number of thematic working groups but undoubtedly Directors sought to derive tangible the need of European institutions and would and these would report annually to the meeting value. Part of the dividend was the richer diversity effectively be limited to members of the European - often their presentations formed the major part of experience and skill which became available in Union. Many felt that the evolving parallel bodies of the agenda. the larger FOREGS membership and this largely of FOREGS and Eurogeosurveys would lead to a overshadowed any sense of regret at the passing “two-speed” Europe, the members of the latter Eurogeosurveys, the Association of the Geological of WEGS. being in the fast lane. So perhaps inevitably Surveys of the European Union, was established Celebrating 40 years of activity page 19 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

on 3 September 1995 in Dublin when its members A General Meeting of Directors, the governing materialise. Eurogeosurveys membership rose signed its Statutes. This set out the objectives of body of EGS, would be held at least once per year gradually to over 30 members at one point and the the 16 constituent geological surveys as follows: to approve the financial accounts and report of FOREGS organisation, with its membership now activities, as well as the budget and work served satisfactorily by the newer organisation, • to jointly address European issues of common programme for the following year. An Executive was allowed to lapse. interest Committee would oversee the implementation of decisions made at General Meetings and represent The new organisation quickly found its feet. • to promote the contribution of geoscientists to EGS in dealings with third parties. The Executive With shorter meetings and quicker decision EU affairs and action programmes Committee currently comprises the President, making, many saw improved benefits in participating. Vice-President, Treasurer and one additional Once more thematic working groups were • to assist the EU to obtain technical advice from member (the last mentioned belonging to an EFTA established and they were effective in bringing members member state). They are elected for a term of together the experts from the various surveys. three years by the General Meeting based on Groups tended to focus on the implementation of • to provide a permanent network between nominations submitted by a Selection Committee. specific European Directives, such as the Water members and a common, but not unique, gateway Framework Directive, the Mine Wastes Directive to each member and their national networks. In a new departure, EGS appointed a full-time and the Directive on Geological Storage of Carbon. Secretary General with responsibility for managing Others were established for the specific projects of These have changed but little over the intervening its affairs under the supervision of the Executive undertaking projects funded from European funds years. Committee. The Secretary General is appointed for (such as in geochemical and seabed mapping). a term of four years and based in the Brussels All of this brought cooperation to a higher level A national geological survey, or equivalent body, of Bureau of EGS. Secretaries General have been with individual surveys gaining important benefits. Map showing the membership of WEGS (1970s) in blue and an EU member state was entitled to full extremely influential in managing EGS affairs and EuroGeoSurveys (2010) in green. membership while those of EFTA (European Free guiding the organisation’s evolution. They have Trade Area) were eligible for associate status had a particular mandate to develop good relations without voting rights. Over time a number of with European institutions, especially the European regional and provincial geological surveys also Commission. In chronological sequence they became affiliated. Members committed themselves comprise Richard Annels (1996-1999), Emile to work together in a cooperative, transparent and Elewaut (1999-2004), Patrice Christmann professional manner. In due course members (2004-2009) and Luca Demicheli (2009 to date). would commit themselves to Internal Rules and a Code of Conduct in addition to Statutes. A schedule The pace of European integration accelerated of membership fees was agreed, including detailed the EGS agenda after the Millennium, so that in mechanisms for deciding the level for each member. practice the fears that new FOREGS members had of being excluded from the fast lane did not Celebrating 40 years of activity page 20 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

While European Geological surveys can take considerable pride in their joint achievements over the past four decades, there is little room for complacency. With budgetary difficulties widespread across Europe in 2010, there was an acknowledged need to sustain investment in Geoscience in order to reap its long term benefits. The Eurogeosurveys ambition is to become the recognised voice of European geoscience in matters of policy formulation, regulatory practice and problem solving. page 21 I EGS 2011 Annual Report page 22 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

Earth moving Main geological events in EUROPE

Spain The submarine eruption located to the south of Preliminary results include a geodatabase for La Restinga that took place on October 10th in the volcanic hazard analysis that incorporates The El Hierro Island and the 2011 submarine extension of the south rift is the only well stratigraphical, petrological, geochronological and submarine eruption monitored historic eruption in El Hierro and the volcano-structural data. Part of these data has been Canary Islands. This eruption was preceded by three used to develop a preliminary volcanic susceptibility Volcanic oceanic islands are usually formed by the months of seismic activity, ground deformation and map in collaboration with the “Istituto Nazionale di construction and destruction of successive edifices. gas anomalies. Geofisica e Vulcanologia” of Italy. This map shows The formation of rift zones where fissure eruptions La Restinga as the area with highest probability of occur is common in such islands. Fissure eruptions Initially a volcanic vent was located two kilometres hosting a future eruption, being in agreement with occur when magma propagates from a reservoir far from the south coast of the island, at a rough the location of the 2011 eruption location. During the to the surface through planar conduits called dykes. depth of 150 m. The first products of the eruption volcanic unrest, the Spanish Geological Survey The dykes propagation front is not linear but lobed, were observed three days later as floating stones, issued a report on the rock falls that occurred in the with several fingers that moves up to the surface. although a big stain on the sea surface was the first El Golfo valley that previously had caused the When sever al fingers reach the surface, they form visual evidence of the eruption. Several times more, eviction of some people and the closed the main a fissure eruption in which several vents (one of new volcanic samples emerged from the submarine road access to the El Golfo area. each related to a dyke finger) are aligned following volcano as basaltic lava balloons during the eruption the dyke trend. The volcanic edifice usually grows that lasted until March 5th, 2012. Studies in El Hierro have not only focused onland, until it becomes unstable and partially collapses a geophysical and hydroacoustic exploration survey forming landslides valleys. Although it was a submarine eruption, it was similar was carried out offshore in November-December to the subaerial eruptions that have previously 2011 in the volcanic eruption area aboard the RV El Hierro Island is a natural laboratory where these occurred in El Hierro. These eruptions are fissure “Sarmiento de Gamboa”. Different geophysical processes can be deeply studied. It is the type and are oriented following the rifts trending. techniques were used: multichannel seismic westernmost and youngest of the Canary Islands, The length of these fissures ranges between tens reflection and wide angle reflection, gravity being around 1.12 Ma old. Its geology consists on of metres to few kilometres. Subaerial fissures are measurements and parametric sounding, together two old volcanic shield edifices (Tiñor and usually formed by less than 10 vents. Similarly, with high resolution multibeam bathymetry El Golfo- Las Playas), and three recent volcanic rifts the El Hierro 2011 submarine eruptive fissure is mapping. The broad frequency range of the acoustic trending NE, S and W. Between the rift axes several more than 600 meters long and is formed by several systems used allows imaging the injection of large scale landslides have occurred forming vents aligned along a NNW-SSE direction, following buoyant volcanic plumes driven by gas bubbles El Golfo, El Julan and Las Playas valleys. the South rift trending. exsolved from magma during the long lasting eruption of the submarine volcano. There are not clear evidences of historic subaerial The Spanish Geological Survey has published the eruptions taking place in El Hierro. Some authors geological map of El Hierro at 1:25.000 scale, and suggest that an eruption took place in 1793 in the has been conducting research projects and a PhD Northwest. However, it is not well documented. Thesis focus on geologic hazards since 2008. Earth moving page 23 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

Earthquake in Lorca (Murcia) to one of the nodal planes of focal mechanisms the regional tectonic stress field and focal obtained for the earthquakes of May 11, 2011. mechanism of the main earthquake and also with On May 11, 2011 at 18:47 (local time) a catastrophic The sinistral strike-slip movement of the fault is the epicentral location. low-sized earthquake (Mw 5.1) took place in Lorca consistent with the focal mechanism solution. (Murcia) south-eastern Spain. A few hours after the 6. The Archaeoseismological data (more than a event, a group of specialists in earthquake geology 2. The high seismic intensity experienced by the hundred values) suggest an origin of the from different institutions: Geological Survey of town of Lorca (intensity VII EMS-98 scale, data deformation associated with a nearby seismic Spain (IGME), Group of Active Tectonics, IGN) associated with a magnitude 5.1 Mw, may field, implying that most of the main earthquake Paleoseismicity and related risk (UCM), Universidad be due to the earthquake spread from the Sierra rupture occurred beneath the historic city of Autónoma de Madrid (UAM) and the Universidad de la Tercia (epicentral area) to the SW. The lack Lorca because the faulting subsurface rupturing Rey Juan Carlos de Madrid (URJC), travelled to the of geological effects towards the east of the runs below the Lorca village. epicentral area in order to compile all available field epicentre supports this possible directionality data related with ground effects associated with of propagation. With these data and their inclusion in the rupture and shaking, and damage of buildings. Environmental Seismic Intensity Scale ESI- The team used the instrumental data recorded by 3. The wave propagation supports the directionality 07, this preliminary geological report will improve the IGN (Instituto Geográfico Nacional) and of the FAM rupture spread from the epicentral the information of historical earthquakes and geological data from previous studies. area, crossing the city of Lorca. This reason epicentral location and the knowledge of the seismic The preliminary study included a description of the associated with the shallowness of the process in Spain. first geological data related to the possible geologic earthquake, would explain the high seismic source of the earthquake, the seismotectonic intensity and peak accelerations of 0.36 g ITALY characteristics of the seismic series, and the (IGN data) recorded in the accelerometer of the earthquake effects, related to the damage of old prison of Lorca (located in the downtown). Catastrophic flashfloods in Cinque buildings and the surface geological effects. Terre and Lunigiana, north-western The main conclusions of the study pointed out that: 4. The increasing in static stress (Coulomb Italy (October 2011) Stress-Transfer Model) on the segments of the 1. The Alhama-Murcia Fault (FAM) is the fault with Alhama-Murcia Fault (FAM) generated by the In the night between 24 and 25 October intense and greater evidence of Quaternary activity in the main earthquake may have increased the persistent rainfall affected north-western Italy and in area, with evidence of paleoseismic activity likelihood of earthquake occurrence in these particular the Cinque Terre (Eastern Liguria) and (M > 6.0) over the last 1000 years, associated with areas. However, it is not possible specify Lunigiana (NW Toscana) areas. The maximum thermal springs and a well-recognized surface temporary occurrence of these earthquakes. rainfall (472 mm in 6 hours) was recorded at trace. There was destructive historical seismicity Brugnato (La Spezia). located along the trace during the XVII, XVIII and 5. The orientation of the principal axe of the strain XIX centuries. FAM has a clear geomorphological ellipsoid (ey), obtained from the archaeo­ This extreme rainfall event over a mountain area expression in this area and whose trace is parallel seismological study is NW-SE, is consistent with caused the occurrence of several flashfloods that Earth moving page 24 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

killed 8 people, caused the evacuation of thousands of inhabitants and extreme damages to numerous settlements.

In the territorial municipalities of Aulla and Mulazzio (Massa), the Magra river overflowed the embankments and a 6 m high water flow (mixed with mud) submerged the villages as well as farmed fields.

Huge mud-flows and debris-flows affected also several villages in the Cinque Terre area (Vernazza, Monterosso and Borghetto di Vara). About Map of areas characterized by erosion (in blue) and deposition 300 landslides were surveyed only at Vernazza (in red) during the October 2011 event (source: and more than 170 landslides at Monte Rosso. www.protezionecivile.fvg.it) In particular at Vernazza, more than 2 millions of Vernazza (Cinque Terre, Liguria). Left: 3-4 meters of mud and cubic meters of floods have buried the historical debris had completely buried the first floor of the sediments. of Genoa (e.g. Corso Sardegna). The Torrente Right: an isolated building along the Vernazzola Stream was village (3-4 meters of mud and debris). These entirely covered by debris Bisagno flooded also downstream between the villages were tipically located at the end of small Brignole station and the river mouth. basins characterized by high slopes and very short run-off times. This flood caused 6 casualties, the evacuation of Destructive flood in the Genoa urban more than 160 people and strong damages to area (4 November 2011) buildings and infrastructure (economic loss was estimated equal to 652 millions €). On 4 November, very intense rainfall hit the area of Genoa (about 400 mm fall between 9.30 and 14.30), causing the overflowing of Rio Fereggiano and Torrente Bisagno.

The flood was particularly evident in the Genoa urban area where the effects were enhanced by the occlusion of hydraulic sections in sectors were the natural riverbed was completely buried. As a consequence, a huge amount of mud and debris was carried by the flood that crossed some quarters Hyetograph and cumulate rainfall at the University of Genoa rainfall station Earth moving page 25 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

Some effects caused by the Rio Ferreggiano flood in the Genoa urban area (Corso Sardegna and Brignole). (source: www.meteoweb.it)

50 buildings. The families living there were evacuated; • 20 October: very intense rainfall (about 130 mm in two hours) in Roma metropolitan area has caused widespread flooding that killed one person in a underpass, caused large damages (about 2 M €) and stopped the public transport for many hours;

• 22 November: intense and persistent rainfall in the Messina and Reggio Calabria territorial provinces (hour rainfall ranging between 60 and 100 mm), promoted the occurrence of a debris flow the hit Scarcelli, a small village near Saponara (Messina), killing three people.

On 7 July 2011, a debris flow hit the Brienno Villlage on the western coast of the Como Lake (Lombardia)

Other minor landslides and floods one dead and two injuries with relevant impact • 7 July: slope movement along the western coast In 2011, several other landslides and floods affecting of the Como Lake (Lombardia) has interrupted a the Italian territory had a relevant impact in terms of primary road (SS340 Regina) and largely covered dead toll and damages to buildings and the Brienno village with mud and debris. Some infrastructures. Among them: buildings and a Romanic bridge were destroyed. About one hundred people were evacuated • 1-3 March: intense rainfall in Marche and Abruzzo (about 270 mm in 24 hours) caused widespread • 31 August: a large rockfall in high mountain area occurrence of flooding and landslides, killing (Mt. Pelmo, Veneto, about 2,900 m in elevation) 3 people has killed two rescuers of the Dolomiti Bellunesi Alpine Rescue; • 18 March: a large landslide (300 m3) between Ceprano and Frosinone (Latium) has hit the • 7 October: in the Salerno province, a small village highway A1 “Milano - Napoli” (km 633) causing (Teglia) was hit by a debris flow, that affected about Earth moving page 26 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

Poland The results were compiled in the report “Environmental Aspects of Hydraulic Fracturing The first Polish report dedicated to Treatment Performed on the Łebień LE-2H Well” in assessment of environmental impact November 2011 and placed at PGI-NRI website: of shale gas exploration. [www.pgi.gov.pl/pl/instytut-geologiczny-informacje- prasowe/4091-raport-z-lebienia-materia-prasowe.html] Does exploration for shale gas resources create risk for natural environment? In 2011 that question was a The experience gained from the performed studies hot issue throughout the Europe, from England to showed that it would be highly desirable to use the Bulgaria. The largest controversies were raised gathered experience in monitoring the next sites around hydraulic fracturing showing quickly growing where shale gas prospection and searching works demand for hard data on actual impact of such will be conducted. The Łebień drill pad viewed from the east; Rekowo Lęborskie, June 2011 (photo PGI-NRI). treatments under local conditions. In Poland, first treatments of that type were conducted in August 2011 on the in the Lebien LE-2H exploratory well Slovakia made by the Lane Energy Poland company of the 3Legs Resources Group in the Koszalin area, close Emergency landslides in Slovakia in to the Baltic coast (NW Poland). The Polish 2011 Geological Institute- National Research Institute (PGI-NRI) used that opportunity to assess impact of Slope failures, especially landslides represent one of the treatments by monitoring environmental the most important geodynamic phenomena in the conditions before (baseline data), during and after SlovakRepublic. The 21 190 slope deformations the hydraulic fracturing. The research team led by Lebien LE-2H well. Line of pump aggregates ready for fracturing 2 operations (photo PGI-NRI) registered up to now cover 2 575.912 km which the PGI-NRI have found that the hydraulic fracturing correspond to 5.25% of the total area of Slovakian as a stimulating treatment which opens access to territory. A lot of new slope failures evolved after shale gas reserves does not bear any long-standing heavy rainfalls in the year 2010. Their total number influence on the environment, providing that it is in the Eastern Slovakia achieved 577. appropriately performed, in accordance with the best professional knowledge and all the legal In the course of 2011, mayors of municipalities regulations and norms. Short-lasting influence (such reported 34 landslides to the Ministry of as noise level, heavy traffic of vehicles, waste from Environment SR, or directly to the State Geological technological fluids) may be minimized by the use of Institute of Dionýz Štúr, which jeopardized, or even appropriate procedures and issuing adequate damaged residential and other buildings, administrative decisions. The Łebień LE-2H well site during gas tests (photo PGI-NRI) Earth moving page 27 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

engineering networks and the population. In some June in 2010 and posed a threat for several houses. connection with the projected Water Works Sereď cases these were landslides documented in 2010, Its reactivation which occurred at the turn of 2010 - Hlohovec. with the activity re-occurring in the year 2011. and 2011, called for declaration of "emergency  situation".The State Geological Institute of Dionyz During the April 2011 registration we have Stur was entitled to realize engineering geological concluded, the inappropriately targeted anthropogenic investigation and emergency remedial measures, activities were one of the main factors that which consisted of implementation of two stabilizing/ contribute to the destabilisation of the territory. draining ribs. This was in particular the creation of illegal landfills in the areas of head scarps of the potential slopefailures. The residents of the village hadadopted the ill practice of waste deposition in the vicinity of local

Situation of newly-evolved landslides registered by SGIDS at the communication in order to prevent its destruction. territory of Slovakia in 2011. I - Core Mountains Region, Moreover, in the territory of interest also intensive II - Region of Carpathian Flysch, III - Region of Neovolcanites, IV- Region of Neogene Tectonic Depressions, 1 to 21 - landslide construction of family houses has taken place. sites The constructions themselves represent a surcharge to the slope, attenuated by backfilling of the depressions and other earthworks.

Family double-house endangered by the landslide in Vinohrady nad Váhom - part Kamenica. A - recorded on 28th April 2011 B - recorded after Declaration of Emergency Situation, 22nd June 2011

Remedial works: A - digging of the stabilizing/draining rib B - installation of drainage tube C - situation after remedy measures realization in June 2011.

Landslides in Lipovany village (number 10 in the map) Site VinohradynadVáhom (19) Site Krupina (8) Re-activated landslides in the Vinohrady nad Váhom Landslide area is located within the residential area again are components of a wider landslide territory of the town Krupina on the left bank of the Krupinica between Hlohovec and Sereď. This 18 km long strip River near the street Nad Kotlom. The landslide of landslides is known especially thanks to the originated at the turn of the months of May and extensive engineering geological survey in Earth moving page 28 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

Another cause is inappropriate or insufficient drainage of surface and waste waters. In the local part the public sewerage is missing, therefore sewage and draining within the local part Kamenica is dealt individually, usually by means of a cesspit, or low-capacity biological treatmentplants.  Family double-house endangered by the landslide in Vinohrady nad Váhom - part Kamenica. A - recorded on 28th April 2011, B - recorded after Declaration of Emergency Situation, 22nd June 2011 In a very short time in the most affected part of the Kamenica landslide the works were launched aimed at draining the slope under the supervision of SGIDS. With the assistance of the Army of the SlovakRepublic 6 surface drainage ditches were manually excavated through the inaccessible terrain reaching a total length of 428 m and a depth of 0.5 m. Through these ditches a substantial part of the waters in the landslide territory was channelled out of the landslide into the alluvial plain deposits of the VáhRiver.

The biggest problem was the rescue of the family double-house, which is found directly on the head scarp of the landslide. After the implementation of the engineering geological survey there was designed and implemented anchored micro-pile wall. The groundwater table level was drawn down by subhorizontal drainage borehole V-8 directly below the double-house at a depth of about 7 m. Remedial works aiming on the rescue of the family double-house  No. 711 a 712 (construction of the anchored micro-pile wall) page 29 I EGS 2011 Annual Report page 30 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

The shape of our business

Earth Observation (EO) delivery and to capitalise on European and • delivers geological research and geo-information Expert Group International Earth Observation science opportunities. services in the EC Global Monitoring for It will do this by ensuring that members: Environment and Security (GMES) initiative. 1. Executive summary • share their EO expertise and research 3. Scope and focus EOEG provides a forum for EO experts in member surveys to share knowledge and skills, elaborate • utilise state-of-the-art in-situ, airborne and The full scope of the EOEG is therefore the full common methodologies and spread best practice. satellite EO techniques and datasets range of EO tools (optical, hyperspectral, thermal, It networks EGS participants in existing EGS radar) from various platforms (satellite, airborne, projects and initiatives concerning EO, particularly • pool their EO expertise, experience, resources in-situ) applied to geological mapping, resource those related to GEO, the intra-governmental and facilities assessment (oil, gas, geothermal energy, minerals Group on Earth Observations (AEGOS, EGIDA, and groundwater), waste management (mine EO-MINERS...), and to GMES, the EC and ESA EOEG will pursue specific opportunities related to: pollution, nuclear, CCS, landfills) and geohazard initiative on Global Monitoring for Environment mitigation (earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides, and Security (EVOSS, PanGeo, SubCoast, • GEO, through the FP7 ENVIRONMENT Theme subsidence and flooding). Terrafirma...). This helps join the EGS EO community together and thus positions EGS to • GMES, through the FP7 SPACE Theme At the request of the Executive Committee, EOEG’s make stronger, EO-related contributions to policy initial focus has been on geohazard applications, initiatives and FP bids in future. It should also • other appropriate EO topics reflecting the initial focus of EO in GEO (Disasters enable EGS members who are currently less Societal Benefit Area, Geohazard Community of engaged in these EO programmes to start to 2.2 Vision Practice) and GMES (Land, Marine and Emergency contribute and to get involved. A focus on EO Response Core Services, Terrafirma, SubCoast, science is appropriate because of current European By fulfilling this mission, over the next 5 years, EVOSS, Sentinel 1 SAR mission). Over time, opportunities and global activities in the topic, but EOEG will see that EGS: this is expected to evolve; the second, emerging the EOEG also recognises that its primary mission theme is resources, to support and contribute to is to use EO as a tool to help EGS members deliver • becomes the European centre of excellence for the EC’s Raw Materials Initiative (RMI), underpin their programmes across the geosciences. geological applications of Earth Observation AEGOS, EO-MINERS, ImpactMIN and related projects and capitalise on the emergence of 2. Mission and vision • plays a significant role in helping the Group on geo-resources as a higher profile application area Earth Observations (GEO) create a Global Earth in GEO. 2.1 Mission Observing System of Systems (GEOSS)

EOEG exists to increase the quality, efficiency and • takes the lead in validating EO with in-situ data cost-effectiveness of EGS members' science The shape of our business page 31 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

4. strategic considerations this effort in recent years, through both lobbying with the EC on various topics, including GEO, and associated FP7 and ESA funded projects, GMES and the Raw Material Initiaitive. In terms of GEO has one overarching objective; to build the the result of a second strand of EO and geoscience meetings, members came together at a range of Global Earth Observing System of Systems. funding through the FP7 Space Theme. GEO, GMES and project meetings for informal This includes component systems coming from discussions. EOEG activities concerning the the geoscience community, including the Global EOEG members now have a strong portfolio of PanGeo project were also reported in an EGS Seismic Network, the Global Geodetic Observing GEO and GMES projects that address geohazards, Newsletter article. System and various other satellite, airborne and including co-Chairing GEO’s Geohazard Community in-situ observing systems. It is therefore both a of Practice (GHCP). In an effort to capitalise on this, EGS and members of EOEG attended the 2011 GEO duty upon and in the self-interest of the geological the EOEG and associated partners in academia Plenary in Istanbul, with the Secretary General survey community to engage and contribute to this developed a GHCP Roadmap, which is in the speaking in the Plenary to raise the profile of EGS initiative. Along with IUGS, EGS is a Participating process of being adopted by GEO. A small but and members’ GEO activities and contributions. Organisation in GEO and the EOEG Chair is growing portfolio of FP7 projects underpins this These included the African-European Geo-resources Co-Chair of one of the three GEO Implementation involvement (AEGOS, EGIDA, EO-MINERS). Observation System (AEGOS), OneGeology, which Boards; the one concerning science and technology, In GMES, this activity includes the ESA-funded is the geological layer in GEO’s Global Datasets users and capacity building. In addition to these GMES Service Element Terrafirma and a suite of Task, and EO-MINERS, our new GEO European international relationships, GEO offers a significant EC-funded GMES Downstream projects on Project on EO and its contribution to teh European funding opportunity for EO and geoscience projects geohazards in the coastal zone (SubCoast, led by Technology Platform on Minerals. EGS also through the FP7 Environment Theme. TNO), landslides (DORIS, with ISPRA involvement), operated a booth in the large EC stand at the GEO volcanoes (EVOSS, with BGS involvement) and Exhibition, showcasing these projects and a number GMES is Europe’s main contribution to GEO and a urban geohazards (the new start, PanGEO, for of others, which further cemented our realtionship global observing system for the environmental which EGS has federated the geological survey with the EC FP7 Environment Theme. New this year, sciences in its own right. It is a flagship initiative of input). The latter builds on the OneGeology EGS held a side meeting on EGS GEO projects, which both the European Space Agency and the EC. infrastructure, is the only EGS FP7 project to was well attended and at which several EOEG members It develops the European elements of the global feature every EGS member survey and is therefore gave presentations on their GEO-related projects. observing system and, as well as satelite sstems of great strategic value to EGS. This achieved a high profile for EGS at the event. delivered by the space agency, includes the important in-situ elements that often fall within the 5. Activity report The Ministerial was the culmination of considerable remit of geological surveys, related institutes and EOEG activity through 2012. EOEG Members their initiatives such as the European Plate EOEG held no formal meeting in 2011, having attended the 5th GEO European Projects Workshop Observign System and EGS’s own EGDI. recently met in December 2010. The emphasis has in London in February 2011, hosted by UKGEO/ The European geological surveys therefore need to been placed on working within the FP7 projects BGS, with the Chair of EOEG making presentations engage and contribute to shaping and delivering secured to address various GEO and GMES on the subject of subsurface observations and on this initiative and EGS has been at the forefront of objectives. Individual members have also engaged minerals. The Chair then attended the GEO Work The shape of our business page 32 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

Plan Symposium in Geneva in May 2011, where 6. Results and impacts 7. Future activities we pressed home the case for minerals to have a place in the GEO structure. This has also been In GEO, EOEG activity supported by both the Plan for EOEG activity in 2012 pursued through EGS Co-Chairing the GEO Science AEGOS and EO-MINERS GEO FP7 projects led to & Technology Committee. The issue was followed one significant result for the geosciences with a • Capture strategic considerations (section 4) in a up by written submissions to the GEO Secretariat high potential impact in the coming years. Several formal Position Paper (now in draft) by the EOEG Chairman that resulted in a successful years of lobbying activity and demonstration of the outcome reported in section 6. science case led to the incorporation of minerals • Write EGS Newsletter article on EOEG activity within the GEO Work Plan for the first time. and Position Paper in first half of 2012 On Geohazards, the EOEG Chairman and its Previously, no GEO Societal Benefit Area covered members contributed to the development of three mineral resources issues, with the closest one • Contribute to EGS Annual Meetings on 27th FP7 bids, co-ordinated by the European Plate being the Energy SBA. Whilst the latter did include February in Brussels Observing System, to host Supersites (or natural energy minerals, it did not include other mineral laboratories) as a European contribution to GEO’s resources. The new GEO Work Plan 2012-15 • Hold a large, joint meeting of DORIS, EVOSS, activities in this area. All three outline bids in this adopted by GEO Plenary in November 2011 now SubCoast, PanGeo and Terrafirma under the two-stage process were invited to prepare full bids has a Task under Energy, EN-01, called Energy auspices of the European Space Agency in May at the end of 2011, for an early 2012 deadline. and Geo-resources Management that fully includes 2012; the “International Forum on Satellite EO for This should provide another way for some minerals. Several EGS members are lead Geo-Hazard Risk Management”, 21st - 23rd May European surveys to become more involved in contributors to this Task. 2012, Santorini GEO during 2012; in total, Euro18M is on offer and upto three sites will be funded. However, the outcome is better than that. EN-01 • EO-MINERS, EOEG and the EGS Minerals Expert covers mineral exploration and exploitation issues. Group will organize a Workshop on “Minerals and As noted above, EOEG, EGS and its members A second Task, SB-05, has been established on GEO” in Ljubljana in July 2012, to capitalize on have a strong portfolio of GMES projects funded by Human Impacts; this includes a component on the new GEO Work Plan both the European Space Agency and the EC FP7 impacts of mining activity that maps directly onto SPACE Theme. These continued to be active in the EO-MINERS project. This component is likely • Contribute to relevant Symposia at IGC34, with 2011. Particularly pleasing during 2011 was the to be coordinated by BRGM. So, the profile of strong participation from e.g. AEGOS increase in joint activity and cross-working seen for geoscience in general, minerals in particular, EGS these projects. Terrafirma and SubCoast held a and its members has never been higher in GEO. • Hold second EOEG meeting, later in 2012, joint meeting in June 2011, hosted by GEUS with Inclusion of minerals in the work plan is a first step themed on potential new topics such as minerals EEA in attendance. This will be the first of several to additional FP funding from future EC calls. joint meetings; the latter half of 2011 was spent • Additional GEO and GMES FP7 opportunities planning a May 2012 conference of all relevant called in 2012 will be pursued as appropriate GMES projects, reported under section 7. The shape of our business page 33 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

Water Resources Expert Group

1. Executive summary

The Water Resources Expert Group focuses on groundwater management and protection of groundwater resources. Its main activities are the support and advice to DG-ENV, the identification of knowledge gaps for the EU research agenda and the sharing of experiences of member states in implementing EU Directives related to groundwater. The activities in 2011 focused on specific advice on the topic of climate changes on groundwater and the 2013 review of the Groundwater Directive. 1.1 Issues tackled by the WFD (2000) and GWD (2006) 2. Mission and vision 3. Scope and focus

The focus of the Expert Group on Water Resources The scope of the expert group on water resources is on groundwater management and protection in (EGWR) has been related to the groundwater general, and more specifically related to the aspects of the water framework directive (WFD, groundwater aspects of the Water Framework 2000) and on the negotiations of the groundwater Directive (WFD), the Groundwater Directive (GWD directive (2006) and its subsequent implementation 2006) and the Common Implementation Strategy through the common implementation strategy (CIS). (CIS) of both directives. The main activities are: Between 2003 and 2006 Eurogeosurveys actively • Support and advise to DG-ENV on technical and contributed to discussions on the definition of the policy-related issues draft groundwater directive and the implementation of the water framework directive (WFD). • Indentify knowledge gaps for the EU research Eurogeosurveys representatives were involved in agenda support and advise to DG-ENV on technical and policy-related issues in the expert advisor forum 1.2 The GWD and WFD involve an new paradigm in protection of groundwater, with increased emphasis on aquatic and • Sharing experiences between member and the EU working group C, which is part of the terrestrial ecosystems and on the mutual influence of organizations in WFD and GWD implementation. common implementation strategy of the WFD. groundwater on surface waters. The shape of our business page 34 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

Since 2006, after the GWD was enacted, • guidance on direct and indirect inputs to Eurogeosurveys has played an active role in the groundwater (2 EGS members, endorsed 2008). overall discussions within Working Group C and in the implementation process by leading and These four guidances form the heart of the participating in drafting groups for Guidances. common implementation strategy of the Moreover, the Expert group took initiatives in order Groundwater Directive. to influence the EU research agenda in order to close knowledge gaps that were identified. The work in the period 2009-2012 focused on the This resulted in two concept notes on Groundwater preparation of the official review of the GWD in research needs under FP7, one in 2007 and one in 2013. EGWR members Rob Ward and Ariane Blum 2010, which were discussed intensively with EU (BRGM) have co-chaired this activity which leaded policy and scientific officers. In 2008 this lead to to the EU Document “Recommendations for the a dedicated Groundwater Systems topic in the review of Annexes of the Groundwater Directive”. second call of FPVII. Another important WGC activity was chaired by EGWR Chair Hans Peter Broers, who organized a 4. The European dimension EU workshop on ‘Climate Change Impacts on Groundwater’ in Warsaw which aimed to bring The EGWR is very active in the EU Working Group scientists and policy makers together on this topic. C on Groundwater. Since 2006, when the GWD was enacted, Eurogeosurveys has played an active role in leading drafting groups, writing guidances for the implementation of the GWD, contributing and chairing and co-chairing drafting groups on

• guidance on groundwater status and trend assessment no. 18 (chair/co-chair, 6 EGS members contibuting, guidance endorsed 2009)

• guidance on groundwater monitoring (4 EGS members, endorsed 2007)

• guidance on groundwater aspects of protected areas (4 EGS members, endorsed 2008) 1.3 Overview of the position of EU Working Group C in the Common Implementation Strategy for the WFD and GWD The shape of our business page 35 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

5. Activity report 7. Future perspectives

Future groundwater resources management Input to the review process of the Groundwater 2011 Rob Ward, Ariane Blum requires sound knowledge of groundwater systems Directive and the Eurogeosurveys Water Resources Expert Meeting with bottled water industry to discuss 21 Jan 2011 Hans Peter Broers, Luca Demichelli Group identified a number of issues that should be the Eurogeosurveys Bottled Water book addressed in future research programs. The groundwater research needs that we identified Input for the Hungarian EU Presidency report June 7th 2011 Hans Peter Broers, Luca Demichelli are especially related to the implementation of Hans Peter Broers, the Water Framework Directive (WFD) and the Attending EU Working Group C meetings in April, Oct Many members Groundwater Directive (GWD) but also related to Budapest and Warsaw 2011 EU policy initiatives on ‘Water Scarcity and Organisation of EU Workshop ‘Climate Change Oct 12th 2011 Hans Peter Broers, Klaus Hinsby, Droughts’ and ‘Climate Change Adaptation and Impacts on Groundwater’, Warsaw Ronald Kozel Mitigation’. For example, the second and third River Basin Management Plans for the WFD and th Presentation Manifest Workshop CC & GW to Nov 16 Hans Peter Broers, Klaus Hinsby, GWD are supposed to be fully climate-resilient by DG-Research and DGENV 2011 Ronald Kozel 2015. Moreover, different policy objectives may Organisation of workshop on Groundwater Dec 16th Wilhelm Struckmeier et al. have contradictory effects; implementing the EU Body Delineation, Berlin 2011 policy on renewable energy by introducing subsurface thermal energy storage, the storage of Commenting the draft FPVII 2012 call to Dec 2011/ Hans Peter Broers, Klaus Hinsby, CO for example or the increased exploration of highlight groundwater Jan 2012 Rob Ward, Nathalie Dorfliger and others 2 unconventional fossil fuel reservoirs, might have adverse effects on the protection of groundwater 6. Results and impacts • The Manifesto of the CC&GW workshop was systems, which asks for a balanced groundwater endorsed by the Working Group C and pleas for management approach. • There is a great appreciation by the EU for the specific research on Climate Change Impacts on support and advice of Eurogeosurveys, which is Groundwater, especially focused on the indirect In its 2010 concept note, Eurogeosurveys illustrated by the fact EG Water members chair secondary effects of CC. The Manifesto is highlighted five priority areas for further research two of the three EU activities in the WFD Common Attached to this document in order to scientifically support the implementation Implementation Strategy in the field of Groundwater. of the Water Framework Directive, the Groundwater • Groundwater is now specifically mentioned in Directive: and EU policy initiatives on water scarcity The DGResearch officials also showed much some of the draft calls of FPVII, for example the and droughts and climate change adaptation and appreciation for the Eurogeosurveys input for calls on water management and emerging mitigation. future FP7 calls. pollutants. The shape of our business page 36 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

These include: concrete recommendations for climate proof groundwater management. EGWR members will 1. Developing predictive tools and monitoring also join the 2012 USGS study tour on Shale gas systems to evaluate the effects of subsurface exploration to cover the topic of groundwater

CO2 storage on groundwater systems and protection. groundwater receptors above storage facilities The Working Group C will discuss its 2013-2015 in 2. Develop methodologies to understand, evaluate March 2012, and Eurogeosurveys will proactively and predict the impacts of climate change on highlight important topics and will take the lead in groundwater resources and interlinked surface organizing WGC tasks where convenient and waters and ecosystems in order to eventually feasible. define climate-robust set of measures

3. Developing tools to facilitate management strategies for multiple uses of groundwater in urban areas. predictive tools and monitoring systems

4. Developing tools for relating response of Groundwater Dependent Ecosystems to the condition of groundwater systems, and to improve assessment of climate change and restoration/protection measures

5. Developing strategies to deal with the impacts of emerging pollutants in groundwater management and protection.

Some of these topics are now included in the European research agenda, but many still require attention. In supporting the European Commission in these fields, Eurogeosurveys now chairs an ad hoc activity for EU Working Group C on Groundwater and Climate Change, which in 2012 will focus on The shape of our business page 37 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

Manifesto from the Workshop not limited to water scarcity in southern European measures is scarce. Moreover, pressures on Climate Change Impacts on countries, but also result in significantly changed groundwater systems tend to increase, partly as Groundwater seasonal regimes of snowmelt, in wetter winters, a result of the effects of climate change and dryer summers and prolonged periods of droughts associated human induced changes of surface and EU Working Group C workshop October 12th, in other parts of Europe. It also appeared that subsurface water management. Especially, Warsaw secondary impacts of climate change, caused by secondary impacts of climate change, resulting human adaptations in energy and water policies from human intervention in water systems, are A workshop on Climate Change Impacts on have potentially large impacts on groundwater expected to have large short-term effects on Groundwater” was held in Warsaw under the resources. However, there is a lack in understanding groundwater resources. Examples of secondary umbrella of the CIS Working Group C on of how this will affect groundwater itself, as well as impacts are: Groundwater. The meeting was used to share the receptors of groundwater such as ecosystems, information and exchange views between member surface waters and drinking water abstractions. • increasing groundwater abstractions especially states, stakeholders and scientists and aimed to The EU Working Group C on Groundwater adopted for irrigation due to longer dry periods and higher establish the knowledge base on groundwater the following manifesto, advocating for action and water demand of crops leading to falling water aspects of climate change as a basis for climate a plea for further research to establish an improved tables and salt water intrusion, especially in resilient river basin management plans (RBMPs) understanding of climate change impacts on periods of extreme hydrometeorological events and to identify the needs for future work in climate groundwater, because groundwater is a precious change impacts on groundwater, both from policy resource which is only slowly replenished and • changing land use practices, including an and scientific perspectives. It was decided to move which is of great importance to the European increase in the production of energy crops, which forward in two complementary ways: society by providing drinking water, irrigation already led to increasing nitrogen concentrations water and ecosystem services. in groundwater due to increased use of fertilizers 1. to support the policy process by making in some areas in Europe. Negative effects on concrete recommendations for 2nd round of Identified Knowledge Gaps pesticide concentrations and increased water RBMPs on the basis of th e established demands affecting water quality and quantity knowledge base, and Since 2006, the combination of WFD and GWD involves a new paradigm in protection of • more intensive use of the groundwater bodies in 2. to promote further research based on the groundwater, with increased emphasis on aquatic relation to energy policy, for example by a sharp inventory of knowledge gaps, which should and terrestrial ecosystems and on the mutual increase of aquifer thermal energy storage establish an improved understanding of climate influence between groundwater and surface facilities in Europe and the search for change impacts on groundwater, which may waters. Up to now groundwater and surface unconventional fossil fuels which has potentially eventually be applied in the 3rd or 4th RBMPs. water research was often performed in ‘separate large adverse effects of groundwater quality worlds’ and really integrated research on

Important outcomes of the workshop were that soil-groundwater-surface water relations, including • storage of CO2 in deep aquifers or gas fields for the impacts of climate change on groundwater are integrated modelling, monitoring and evaluation of CO2 mitigation, which may affect the quality of The shape of our business page 38 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

groundwater resources and groundwater secondary climate change impacts on groundwater localised catchments. However, other secondary receptors, depending on the local resources and on developing methodologies and impacts including an increase in water demands hydrogeological situation. modelling tools to understand and predict the and changes in agricultural practices may have effects of both types of impacts. even stronger effects on the sustainable Although climate change impacts on surface water management of groundwater systems. systems are relatively well studied in relation to The methodologies should be able to assess the flooding risks and prolonged droughts, the primary effects of local and regional measures and to Global warming is likely to have substantial direct and secondary impacts of climate change on produce scenario analyses, which help to select and indirect impacts on both groundwater quantity groundwater systems are relatively unknown. effective sets of counter effective measures, and quality across Europe. In Denmark and in Only a number of very recent studies give some including scenarios for the conjunctive use of many other EU member states increasing winter information of the changes in groundwater groundwater and surface waters and the precipitation may result in increasing nutrient recharge rates and renewal, the fluxes towards assessment of favourable locations for artificial leakage, and hence work against measures ecosystems and surface water receptors and recharge of groundwater. A concrete proposal for planned in order to assure compliance with the related changes in groundwater and surface water EU funded research under the FPVII or FPVIII Water Framework and Groundwater Directives and quality. Very few of them include an evaluation of umbrella is attached in the Appendix. decrease the nutrient loads to associated aquatic societal changes in reaction to climate change ecosystems (Andersen et al., 2006). In southern prognoses and consequences for biodiversity. Appendix: A concrete proposal for research Europe, where water resources are predominantly under FPVII/FPVIII groundwater based, global warming is likely to There is a clear need for further research in order Understanding the Impacts of Climate reduce overall water availability with warmer and to better understand how climate change impacts Change on Quantity and Quality of drier summers and more extreme rainfall events affect groundwater, in order to eventually Groundwater Resources year round. scientifically support the implementation of the Water Framework Directive, the Groundwater Introduction The EU workshop revealed that climate change is Directive and EU policy initiatives on ´Water expected to impact groundwater significantly in the Scarcity and Droughts’ and ‘Climate Change The potential impacts of climate change on water rest of Europe too. Even for moderate climates Adaptation and Mitigation with respect to resources have long been recognised, but still relevant shifts in the length of the recharge season, groundwater. A key research theme that we there has been comparatively little research the snowmelt period and the occurrence of identified is the need to: “Develop methodologies related to groundwater, although it represents the prolonged droughts are predicted to occur, which to understand, evaluate and predict climate change major part of the exploited water resources in may well lead to an overall reduction of groundwater impacts on groundwater resources and interlinked many EU member states. Moreover, the main recharge (Goderniaux et al. 2009) and water surface waters and ecosystems in order to focus of climate change research regarding scarcity at the end of the summer period (Huss et eventually define climate-robust set of measures” groundwater has been on quantifying the likely al. 2010) or to increased transfer of nutrients from The focus should be on both monitoring systems, primary impacts of changing precipitation and groundwater towards lakes and estuaries which support signalling the effects of primary and temperature patterns on water quantity in small (Roosmalen et al. 2011). The shape of our business page 39 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

Regarding the primary impacts of climate change (Oude Essink, 2010). Worldwide there is a large Research topic on groundwater, much is still unknown about: increasing trend in groundwater abstractions and groundwater depletion (Wada et al. 2011) which Develop methodologies to understand, • the effects of extreme hydrometeorological may amplify as a result of climate change. evaluate and predict the impacts of climate events, including the propagation of floods and Other secondary impacts are related to change on groundwater resources and meteorological droughts towards groundwater adaptations of Europe’s energy policies, including interlinked surface waters and ecosystems the increased production of energy crops which • changes in temporal patterns of groundwater may change groundwater quality by increasing use The focus of the proposed research should be on recharge of fertilizers and pesticides and increased water Europe wide assessment of the primary and

needs, the storage of heat and CO2 and nuclear secondary impacts of climate change on • the impacts of the quality of groundwater renewal waste and the search for unconventional fossil groundwater resources and groundwater fuels. Studies which try to understand the effects receptors. This includes both the quantitative • possible increased or altered risk for leaching and of these adaptations are few. aspects (e.g. changes in temporal and spatial transport of contaminants and nutrients and its recharge patterns and increased water use), the effects on groundwater ecology Moreover, little is yet done on monitoring of the chemical aspects (e.g. changes in transformation long term effects of climate change in groundwater, and degradation of chemicals, changing pathways • the impact on groundwater and stream water which makes it difficult to distinguish between of pollutants and groundwater-surface water and contaminant fluxes towards aquatic and natural and manmade changes to groundwater interaction) and the ecological aspects (e.g. changes terrestrial ecosystems systems. For example, long term monitoring of in groundwater ecology and derivation of threshold water tables, spring discharge and runoff is very values to protect ecosystems). By assessing the • changes in patterns of groundwater-surface scarce. There is a need to systematically assess potential impacts, the research should also clarify water interactions which also affect the WFD and historical monitoring data in order to understand what consequences are expected for reference GWD risk assessments related to the chemical the response of the groundwater to climatological conditions, such as baseline shifts which may and quantitative status of surface water and changes in the past by developing techniques such impact on groundwater. groundwater bodies. as hindcasting, but also to develop methods to design improved and integrated monitoring and The research should include an evaluation of However, the largest short term effects of climate modelling of groundwater and surface water. societal changes in reaction to climate change change might be due to human actions that react Eventually, properly designed monitoring systems prognoses, both related to water and energy on the actual and predicted changes in precipitation should enable us to record future changes related policies. It should develop methods to understand and temperature patterns. Examples of such to primary and secondary effects of climate the possible adverse effects of CCS practices, secondary impacts are the increase of water change, for example by the monitoring of spring thermal heat storage and the search for demands and abstractions of groundwater for discharges and groundwater recharge rates and unconventional fossil fuels on future groundwater irrigation due to higher evaporation which may quality, by systematically applying groundwater uses and ecosystem services. It should also lead to falling water tables and salt water intrusion age tracers and dating techniques. highlight the opportunities for using bio-indicators The shape of our business page 40 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

in groundwater as an early warning and evaluation methods, such as GRACE and HOBE, should also References technique to deduce the effects of extreme be investigated in order to reduce uncertainty hydrometeorological events on groundwater and and may help to extrapolate monitoring and - Andersen et al. 2006, Sc. Total Env. 365:223-237 associated ecosystems. modelling results (link with GEO), and downscale - Goderniaux et al. 2009, J. of Hydr. 373:122-138 from global to local models. The research should - Huss et al. 2007, Hydr. Process. 22:3888-3902 The research should improve the predictive set the basis for a Europe wide system of - Roosmalen, L. van et al. 2011, Vadose Zone J. assessments of climate change impacts. groundwater monitoring focused on long term 10:136-150 This includes the development of fully coupled records of recharge rates, water table depths, - Wada Y. et al. 2009, Geophys. Res. Letters 37: soil-unsaturated zone-saturated zonesurface water spring discharges and water quality, which will L20402 models capable of simulating long term behaviour enable future signalling of unexpected changes of hydrological systems, but with a very high and the evaluation of measures that aim to reduce temporal resolution which enables us to see the the effects of global and manmade changes. changes in seasonal patterns on water table depths, water quality and fluxes towards surface Expected Impact water and groundwater dependent ecosystems.. There is need to assess the uncertainty of the The understanding obtained through the proposed predictions by integrating the newest research research will help EU member states to properly results on contaminant fate and progress made in identify probable climate change impacts on climate research, using the results of project like groundwater systems and help to focus measures ENSEMBLES and PRUDENCE. The predictive in the third and fourth River Basin Management methodologies should be able to produce scenario Plans. The research will help to identify primary analyses, which help to select effective sets of and secondary climate change impacts on water counter effective measures, including scenarios for demands and water supply over Europe, to the conjunctive use of groundwater and surface develop smart and integrated monitoring and waters and the assessment of favourable locations modelling programmes and to design tailor-made for artificial recharge of groundwater. programmes of adaptation measures to avoid or counteract these impacts. The predictive models However, we should also invest in underpinning that will be developed will enable to understand research based on collection of field data, because the effects of local and regional measures and to spatial heterogeneity in climatic, hydrogeological run robust scenario analyses, which will help to and hydrogeochemical conditions leads to select effective sets of adaptation measures. uncertainties, which should be understood before Eventually the research will help to make the proper modelling can reveal realistic scenarios of RBMP climate proof and groundwater and surface changes. The opportunities of Earth observation water management climate resilient. The shape of our business page 41 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

Expert Group on CO storage 2. Scope and focus permanently in geological formations in order to 2 turn CCS into a technological success. In spite of 1. Mission and vision Historically, Geological Surveys have fuelled the the complexity and uniqueness of each storage thriving European economies by providing project, society is not likely to accept failure of the knowledge about coal, oil and natural gas projects that seek to demonstrate the viability, CO2 Capture and Storage (CCS) can be a vital technology in the mitigation of climate change over resources in the continent and further afield. and safety and security of this technology. the next few decades and a rapid implementation In the process the Surveys have built up a profound understanding of the Earth’s subsurface and have EGS.CO2 recognises the ambitious climate goals is required to reduce CO2 emissions in time. The acceptance and technical success of CCS relies become the caretakers of huge amounts of that society is faced with, and the benefits that largely on the safe and permanent geological geological information. EGS.CO2 wishes to ensure CCS offers in this respect. As such, CCS should be that this expertise is applied to the correct, reliable considered as a necessary mid-term portfolio storage of CO2. To achieve this objective, proper legislation, objective evaluation of projects, and and flawless implementation of CCS, and on option because of the way it facilitates meeting expertise and quality data on the deeper storage projects in particular. substantial climate change targets. At the same subsurface are required. The Geological Surveys time it is sufficiently expensive to result in a have the relevant data, expertise and objectivity, Societies throughout the world are engaged in a reduced use of fossil fuels in the long-term thus facilitating their meaningful contribution to a largely cooperative race to decarbonise the global facilitating a transition towards other less carbon successful implementation of the emerging economy. Europe stimulates this process and it is intense energy resources, including technology. demonstrating that a continent can successfully renewable,sources. set and meet emission and renewable technology However, EGS.CO2 is very well placed to see that The expert group EGS.CO2 directly groups the targets. CO2 Capture and geological Storage (CCS) expertise of 16 Geological Surveys and is the is projected to become an essential part of this CCS is currently at a tipping point. A successful official voice of the Geological Surveys of Europe process in the near future. It has the potential to demonstration of CCS projects in Europe, especially reduce the overall cost of climate measures in very of the geological aspects, will lead to wide-scale on CO2 Capture and Storage. Its mission is to engage in a dialogue with the relevant European low emission scenarios and offers the potential to deployment of this technology driven only by the ETS price of CO when this attains the expected institutes, and use its own expertise to interface achieve even deeper and earlier CO2 reduction 2 between European and national policy levels. targets. Decarbonisation of the power sector is and commercially viable levels. We envisage that As such its agenda is closely linked to the often cited, but CCS is also the only solution for there will be a commensurate rapid increase in transposition, evolution and interpretation of the drastic emission cuts in sectors such as iron and demand for private, project related expertise, but CCS directive. EGS.CO2 offers a unique platform steel, cement, petrochemistry, etc. for which in equally for governmental competence because to monitor national and European activities at first contrast to the power sector, no ‘renewable’ national Competent Authorities will become hand and to take up the challenge to play a very alternatives exist. responsible for approving, follow-up and aftercare significant role in the future development, evolution of storage sites, especially for safety control and verification. and deployment of CCS in Europe and beyond. Geological storage of CO2 forms the key element in

the CCS scheme. CO2 needs to be stored The shape of our business page 42 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

The Geological Surveys need to play their role to with the economic crisis limiting investments and involved in several comparable groups (each with prevent a potential vacuum in expertise vital to resulting in a low ETS price, and the Fukoshima its own, but nevertheless overlapping scope). servicing all of these requirements. incident which increased the risk aversion of the This requires a proper profile: EGS.CO2 puts general public, including that towards the relatively emphasis on issues typically important for Geological There is also the risk that the situation may tip in unknown concept of geological storage. A result of Surveys. Further this requires a considered use of the opposite direction. Geological Storage of CO2 this drastically changed context is that fewer than efforts, especially where potential activities can, or holds very little direct risks to man or nature. expected demonstration projects will be realized. are already framed, in a context where funding is Nevertheless, the perception is such that even a available. EGS.CO2 therefore takes an observing, minor geotechnical failure may be perceived as This trend has increased the importance of the but not necessarily passive approach, and will first sufficient proof that the technique should not be geological surveys in the development of CCS. of all stimulate/support activities or point out deployed on a large scale. The geological community, Industry, and in future possibly also other research missing activities (catalyst, connecting the dots). led by the Geological Surveys, therefore carries the institutes, may reduce their efforts to take CCS Only when required, will non-financed practical responsibility to ascertain the highest possible level forward, which may endanger the realization of work be initiated. of quality of the projects. Geological Surveys may climate targets. The new agenda of EGS.CO2 also use their environmental expertise to specifically targets at assisting CCS initiatives, and In view of networking activities, the annual meeting implement the monitoring plans that need to detect especially those related to CO2 geological storage. decided on the following, which needs to be potential leakage at the earliest possible stage. formalised in 2012: ‘EGS.CO2 recognises the value

EGS.CO2 therefore promotes, depending on the The 2011 annual meeting of EGS.CO2 was of CGS Europe (now as a project, in the future as national context, the active participation of national organized using a new format which was positively an association - expansion of the CO2GeoNet Surveys in such projects, or alternatively received by its members, and consisted of two membership), and chooses to support their encourages them to assume the role of the parts. During one day, a face to face meeting was activities rather than duplicate them or compete in attentive and objective observer. EGS.CO2 takes organized to which a limited number of partners any other way’, as well as listing the differences upon itself the role of watchdog and communicator assisted for in-depth discussion of the meeting between CGS Europe and an ad-hoc network of with open channels to European and National agenda. On the following day, a skype debriefing geological surveys. policy levels. was organized, with a slide show acting as draft meeting report, for those partners that could not Regarding websites and communication, it was 3. Trends in 2011 and the response attend. This format ensured that the budget agreed that other groups are better placed to take restrictions for travelling do not affect the joined specific actions regarding public communication, of EGS.CO2 actions of the group. although individual members are encouraged to After 2010, which was a labor intensive year do so. On the other hand, communication to focused on the review of the Guidance Documents 4. Future perspectives government officials is retained on the action list. that assist the CCS directive, 2011 was largely a year that was used to refocus the group. 2011 was EGS.CO2 is working on a topic where numerous EGS.CO2 considers it important that a web-portal also a year which put CCS less optimal conditions, actors are active, and its experts are typically for data on CO2 geological storage is established. The shape of our business page 43 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

After contacts with the leading surveys, it was to take action in case the proposal CO2StoP would not be approved. In mean time, this project has been approved and is supported by EuroGeoSurveys. Parallel activities such as those in IEA-RoadMap are being followed.

This allows focussing on another priority topic, which is referred to as basin-scale models. It is essential that geology in general, and geological reservoirs in specific, are being evaluated at basin level instead of national level. These transboundary issues will be initiated and brought to the attention.

As in 2011, EGS.CO2 will assist to the Information Exchange Meetings of the European Commission. On the other hand, the efforts to come to an exchange of experience regarding legal issues (transposition of the CCS directive, permitting issues…) will be intensified.

Lastly, cross-over initiatives with other expert groups within EuroGeoSurveys are foreseen, with concrete plans to establish a common vision on the potential for conflicts of interest for CCS and geothermal projects. The shape of our business page 44 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

Geochemistry 2. Introduction of the environment reports, (b) mineral exploration, Expert Group (c) agriculture, (d) forestry, (e) animal husbandry, The Geochemistry Expert Group has at present (f) geomedicine or medical geology, (g) determination 1. Executive summary 56 official members. In addition, there are 43 associate of natural background values for environmental members from geological survey and non-survey risk assessment, etc. The EuroGeoSurveys Geochemistry Expert Group organizations that participate in the GEMAS and was very active during 2011 with (a) the final URGE projects, which are scheduled to be Why are Geochemical Atlases important? editing and publication of the book “Mapping the completed in 2013 and 2015, respectively, and The answer is given by Darnley et al. (1995, p.X; Chemical Environment of Urban Areas”, (b) another 65 contributors to the Urban Geochemistry [www.globalgeochemicalbaselines.eu/files/ assessing the quality of new GEMAS analytical Book project, which was completed in April 2011 Blue_Book_GGD_IGCP259.pdf]): ‘Everything in and results [total C and S, total organic carbon (TOC), with the publication of the book “Mapping the on the earth - mineral, animal and vegetable - is cation exchange capacity (CEC), XRF, pH, and Chemical Environment of Urban Areas” (Johnson made from one, or generally some combination of, particle size distribution (PSD) analysis] and the et al., 2010). the 86 naturally occurring chemical elements. writing of the relevant report, (c) the release of Everything that is grown, or made, depends upon GEMAS national data sets for processing and 3. Mission and vision the availability of the appropriate elements. The interpretation, and whole data sets to people existence, quality, and survival of life depend upon responsible for the interpretation of European wide 3.1. Mission the availability of elements in the correct geochemical patterns on specific elements, proportions and combinations. Because natural (d) presentation of project results at conferences, The mission of the EuroGeoSurveys Geochemistry processes and human activities are continuously symposia, seminars and workshops, (e) writing of Expert Group is to provide high quality geochemical modifying the chemical composition of our papers for publication in journals and books, data of near-surface materials, to develop environment, it is important to determine the (g) writing of articles for the EuroGeoSurveys harmonised databases for multi-purpose use, and present abundance and spatial distribution of the newsletter and annual report, and (h) production of to offer independent expert advice to the European elements across the Earth’s surface in a much PowerPoint material for the GEO (Group on Earth Commission. more systematic manner than has been attempted Observations) Ministerial Summit. hitherto’. Systematic geochemical mapping is To achieve this mission, systematic geochemical considered, therefore, as the best available method The annual meeting of the Group was held in data for the whole of Europe are generated by to document changes in the levels of chemical October 2011, and was hosted by the Geological harmonised methods of sampling of near-surface elements in materials occurring at or below the Survey of Finland. Apart from discussions on materials (soil, stream or floodplain sediment, Earth’s surface. ongoing projects (GEMAS and URGE), there were water), sample preparation, chemical analysis, many interesting presentations on both projects, quality control, data processing, and presentation. 3.2. Vision but also food for thought with respect to the The systematic geochemical information is interpretation of new FOREGS Geochemical Atlas published in the form of geochemical atlases, which The EuroGeoSurveys Geochemistry Expert Group’s of Europe data on fluoride, chloride and bromide. are freely available, and can be used for (a) state aim is to be regarded as the body that provides The shape of our business page 45 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

high quality harmonised geochemical data of • To test new ideas in order to improve products 5. The european dimension near-surface materials to support European policy and services. and decision makers, but also to supply sound Table 1 summarises European Commission (EC) background data to scientists for their research, • To continuous redefine the role of the Expert Group Directives that require European wide harmonised and to the public, in general, for education and to meet new challenges. geochemical data. In the sections of the different other purposes. on-going projects during 2011, the relevant EC • To develop processes that encourage effective Directives are given. It is noted that all projects are 4. Focus and scope organisational innovation. INSPIRE compliant (EC, 2007).

The focus of the EuroGeoSurveys Geochemistry • To find new ways of making geochemical data Table 1. Summary of some European Commission Expert Group is to produce high quality harmonised sets more useful to end-users. (EC) Directives driving the demand for geochemical data sets of near-surface materials harmonised geochemical background data for multipurpose use. The scope is to bring under • To discover unmet end-user needs. across political borders (modified from the same umbrella applied geochemists from all Johnson and Demetriades, 2011, Table 2.3, EGS member institutions, and to act as a forum for The EuroGeoSurveys Geochemistry Expert Group p.22) the exchange of expertise and to work together in publishes original research, reports on innovative order to deliver good quality professional products practices and case studies, and publishes books and services to European Union countries. and atlases. It also disseminates its work findings and experience through participation in conferences, Innovation can include, but is not limited to, seminars and workshops. the following:

• To develop creative collaboration between EGS member surveys in the field of applied geochemistry.

• To incorporate new innovative technologies in applied geochemical investigations, e.g., stable isotopes, Mid-InfraRed spectroscopy (MIR), Mobile Metal Ion analysis (MMI), etc. in order to improve and expand data interpretation and, thus, improve the service to end-users.

• To introduce new outreach services for the benefit of end-users. The shape of our business page 46 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

EC Water Framework Directive (WFD) This requires Member States to meet a good ecological status for water quality Geochemical background data for low order streams produced by the European (2000/60/EC) objectives (except where deviations from the standard are justified); and to identify Geochemical Atlas project can provide information about surface water quality for basic and supplementary measures to deal with point source and diffuse pollution. farmers and those who manage land. In addition, the data produced by the project The directive will be managed on the basis of River Basin Districts (one or more on Ground water Geochemistry using bottled water as ‘proxy’ can be used to assess drainage catchments). the quality of ground water, but also bottled water with respect to inorganic constituents. Regulatory bodies and administrators can use these data to determine guideline levels for elemental concentrations.

EC Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control It has been formulated to implement the EC Integrated Pollution Prevention and Geochemical background data can be used by both industry and regulators to assess Directive (IPPC) (2008/1/EC), it replaces Control Directive (96/61/EC). Its objective is to control pollution from industry. the impact of polluting industries on the environment. The geochemical background Directive 96/61/EC data provide a reference point against which changes can be measured.

EC Sewage Sludge Directive (86/278/EEC) This directive seeks to encourage the use of sewage sludge in agriculture, but Geochemical background data can be used to monitor and model the impact on regulates its use in order to protect the environment from its harmful effects. the environment of sewage sludge.

Proposed EC Soil Directive Directive under consideration. The European Union included in the 6th Environmental Geological Surveys are the only organisations systematically sampling soil from urban Action Programme the ‘Thematic Strategy on Soil Protection’ that will lead in the areas, and can establish the urban geochemical background in order to assess the future to an EU soil protection Directive. impact of human induced pollution. Geological Surveys are, in fact, the only organisations in Europe that have the necessary experience for carrying out continental scale geochemical mapping and monitoring projects.

EC Mine Waste Directive (2006/21/EC) This proposed directive is seen as a supplementary measure to the WFD to minimise Geochemical background data can be used to monitor and model the impact on the adverse effects on the environment, caused by waste from the extractive the environment of mine waste. industries.

EC Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC) This directive is concerned with the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna Climatic or anthropogenic changes to the geochemistry of the surface environment and flora. that may impact on fauna and flora can be monitored using geochemical background data of the surface environment.

EC Landfill Directive (1999/31/EC) The Landfill (England and Wales) Regulations of 2002, implement the EC Landfill Geochemical data can be used to monitor and model the impact on the environment Directive, which aims to prevent or reduce the negative environmental effects of landfills. of landfill.

INSPIRE Directive (2007/2/EC) Establishing an Infrastructure for Spatial Information in the European Union for making Harmonised geochemical background data for the whole of Europe are needed in order available relevant, harmonised, and quality geographic information to support formulation, to assess impacts on the environment. implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of policies and activities that have a direct or indirect impact on the environment.

REACH Directive (EC 1907/2006) [Registration, The aim of REACH is to improve the protection of human health and the environment Geochemical background data are needed to establish the variable geochemical Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of through the better and earlier identification of the intrinsic properties of chemical background across Europe, and the local maximum threshold values, against which CHemical substances] - The new law entered substances. There is a need to fill information gaps to ensure that industry is able to any future changes can be monitored. into force on 1 June 2007 assess hazards and risks of the substances, and to identify and implement the risk management measures to protect humans and the environment. The shape of our business page 47 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

5.1. Agricultural and Grazing land soil the Committee of the Regions: Thematic Management (SAICM) (UNEP, 2006), and (ii) the geochemistry Strategy for Soil Protection (EC, 2006b). OECD Work on Investigation of High Production Volume Chemicals (OECD, 2009). The Agricultural and Grazing land soil geochemistry The administration of REACH (Registration, project (GEMAS) fulfils requirements of the following Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals), 5.2. European Ground water Geochemistry EU Directives, regulations, and communications: the new European Chemicals Regulation adopted (EGG-Project) in December 2006 (EC, 2006a, 2009), and the (1) Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 of the European pending EU Soil Protection Directive (Van Camp et The ground water geochemistry project, using Parliament and of the Council of 18 December al., 2004; EC, 2006b), require additional knowledge bottled water as “proxy”, fulfils conditions of the EC 2006 concerning the Registration, Evaluation, about “soil quality” at the European scale. REACH Directive 2000/60/EC (EC, 2000), and its results Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals specifies that industry must prove that it can should assist the European Commission in its (REACH), establishing a European Chemicals produce and use its substances safely. Risks, due legislative work on bottled waters with respect to Agency, amending Directive 1999/45/EC and to the exposure to a substance during production inorganic constituents, e.g., repealing Council Regulation (EEC) No 793/93 and use at the local, regional, and European scale, and Commission Regulation (EC) No 1488/94 all need to be assessed. In contrast, to human- (1) Directive 65/65/EEC of 26 January 1965 on the as well as Council Directive 76/769/EEC and made organic substances that do not occur approximation of provisions laid down by law, Commission Directives 91/155/EEC, 93/67/EEC, naturally in the environment, all industries dealing regulation or administrative action relating to 93/105/EC and 2000/21/EC (EC, 2006a, 2007); with natural resources will face in the near future a medicinal products (EC, 1965); number of specific questions: (2) Directive 80/777/EEC of 15 July 1980 on the (2) Directive 2004/35/CE of the European approximation of the laws of the Member States Parliament and of the Council of 21 April 2004 Most of their “products” occur also naturally relating to the exploitation and marketing of on environmental liability with regard to the - the natural background variation needs to be natural mineral waters (EC, 1980a) prevention and remedying of environmental established, in addition to a methodology to damage (EC, 2004); differentiate the industrial impact from the (3) Directive 80/778/EEC. Council Directive of 15 July natural geogenic background. 1980 relating to the quality of water intended for (3) European Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 on What is the “bioavailability” of metals and other human consumption (EC, 1980b) Classification, Labelling and Packaging of chemical elements in soil? Substances and Mixtures (CLP Regulation), What is the long-term fate of metals and other (4) Directive 96/70/EC of the European Parliament adopting in the EU the Globally Harmonised chemical elements added to soil? and of the Council of 28 October 1996 amending System (GHS) (EC, 2008a), and Council Directive 80/777/EEC on the approximation Besides fulfilling the conditions of EC policy of the laws of the Member States relating to the (4) Communication from the Commission to the documents, it satisfies other EU international exploitation and marketing of natural mineral Council, the European Parliament, the European commitments, such as (i) the United Nations waters (EC, 1996) Economic and Social Committee, and Strategic Approach to International Chemicals The shape of our business page 48 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

(5) Directive 98/83/EC of 3rd November 1998 on 6. Activity report FOREGS Geochemical Atlas of Europe (II)]. the quality of water intended for human Environnement, Risques and Santé, 10(4), 299-315. consumption (EC, 1998) 6.1. Continued work with the FOREGS data • Clemens Reimann (Norway) and Manfred Birke (6) Directive 2003/40/EC/16-5-2003/ establishing • Alecos Demetriades (Hellas) is involved with (Germany) will determine a way forward with the the list, concentration limits and labelling interpretation of new Au data. He will prepare a perchlorate analyses performed on the topsoil requirements for the constituents of natural publication that incorporates FOREGS and samples that had been received from the USGS. mineral waters and the conditions for using GEMAS Au data and the GEMAS Pd, Pt data. It is noted that due to problems at the USGS ozone-enriched air for the treatment of natural laboratories, not all samples were analysed. mineral waters and spring waters (EC, 2003) • Reijo Salminen (Finland) is working on the fluoride, However, enough results are available to plot chloride and bromide data, and some interpretation a map. (7) Directive 2008/32/EC of the European problems were discussed during the October Parliament and of the Council of 11 March 2008 2011 Annual Group meeting in Espoo. • Clemens Reimann reported that there is no amending Directive 2000/60/EC establishing a progress with MIR analysis on FOREGS samples, framework for Community action in the field of • Benedetto De Vivo (Italy) and the Italian but that all GEMAS samples were measured. It is water policy, as regards the implementing Universities team have been working on the new quite apparent that the FOREGS samples will not powers conferred on the Commission data to model the effects of lower density sampling be analysed, and arrangements should be made (EC, 2008b). and cost-benefit in geochemical surveys. for the return of the samples to the BGS sample A manuscript has been submitted for publication storage facilities. Further, the information produced can also be used in the Journal of Geochemical Exploration. in the national legislative procedure of European • The Chinese have published an article about the Union member countries. • Maria João Batista (Portugal) is preparing a comparison of FOREGS results as analysed in manuscript on Sn data. European and Chinese laboratories (Wensheng 5.3. Urban geochemistry Yao et al., 2011, Geoscience Frontiers 2). • Ignace Salpeteur (France) has published one (1) Communication from the Commission to the paper in French: 6.2. European Ground water Geochemistry Council, the European Parliament, the European Salpeteur, I. & Maldan, F., 2011. Valeurs de project (EGG) Economic and Social Committee, and the reference pour les teneurs en éléments traces Committee of the Regions: Thematic Strategy dans les sols et les limons d'inondation obtenues A geochemical atlas presenting the results was for Soil Protection (EC, 2006b) dans le cadre du nouvel Atlas géochimique published in August 2010: Reimann, C. and Birke, européen (II) [French geochemical baseline M. (Editors), 2010. Geochemistry of European (2) EC Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control data for trace elements in top- and bottom- Bottled Water. Borntraeger Science Publishers, Directive (IPPC) (2008/1/EC) (EC, 2008c). soils and overbanks of the shield areas and Stuttgart, 268 pp. [www.schweizerbart.de/ sediment covers: A low density survey in the publications/detail/artno/001201002#]. The shape of our business page 49 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

Papers on national interpretations and specific A number of papers have been written, but not yet themes were also published in a Special Issue of published (details shall be reported in the 2012 the Journal of Geochemical Exploration, i.e., Birke, annual report). The GEMAS project results were M., Demetriades, A. and De Vivo, B. (Guest presented in 10 conferences and workshops Editors), 2010. Mineral Waters of Europe. Journal through more 28 oral presentations and 3 poster of Geochemical Exploration, 107(3), 217-422. sessions .

Until the end of 2011, 910 copies of the 6.3.1. GEMAS project Website and Google “Geochemistry of European Bottled Water” were Earth photo database sold, The EGG project results were presented in 8 conferences and workshops, one paper was also Paolo Valera (Italy) is working on GEMAS project published and the EGG atlas received an unusually website, and. Edith Haslinger (Austria) on a high number (10 to date) of positive independent “GEMAS Google Earth photograph database”, external reviews in international and national where it will be possible to click on the sample sites journals. and be able to download the field photographs (Figure 1). The website will be hosted on the server 6.3. Geochemistry of Agricultural and of the Geological Survey of Austria. Grazing land soil (GEMAS) 6.3.2. GEMAS project calendar The GEMAS project is running according to plan. All analytical results have been received, and passed Following the success of the interactive pdf 2011 quality control. The following quality control report calender, Peter Hayoz (Switzerland) has produced a was written and is freely available from NGU’s very attractive “GEMAS Project Calendar for the Figure 1. (a) Agricultural soil, Norway, and (b) Grazing land soil website: [www.ngu.no/upload/Publikasjoner/ year 2012”, based on field photographs from the (Cyprus). Rapporter/2011/2011_043.pdf] project. The 2012 GEMAS project calendar was printed, and the printing costs paid from the royalties National data sets were made available to each earned from the sales of the EGG Atlas. Peter has 6.4. Urban Geochemistry country for processing and interpretation, and also prepared an interactive pdf version. Copies of whole data sets to Group members that are the calendar were sent to all GEMAS participants 6.4.1. Urban Geochemistry Book project responsible for writing papers or book chapters on and the EuroGeoSurveys Brussels office. specific elements for all Europe. SGS, a Toronto, Chris Johnson, Alecos Demetriades, Juan Locutura Canada, based commercial laboratory has and Rolf Tore Ottesen have edited a book on promised free mobile metal ion analysis (MMI) for “Urban Geochemistry”, which was published by the Ap samples. Wiley-Blackwell, and first released in April 2011. The shape of our business page 50 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

6.4.2. Specialist session on Urban Arrangements were also made with the conference Geochemistry organisers for EuroGeoSurveys to have a desk in the main hall on which EGS promotional material EuroGeoSurveys sponsored with 200 Euro a was displayed and disseminated to participants specialist session on “Mapping the Geochemical (e.g., leaflets, bag, etc. - see Figure 3). As part of Environment of Urban Areas” at the SEGH 2011 the promotion of EGS publications, special International Conference on Environment and arrangements were made with the publishers of Health and 28th European Conference on both books “Mapping the Chemical Environment of Environmental Geochemistry & Health, which was Urban Areas” (Wiley-Blackwell) and “Geochemistry held at Edge Hill University (Edge Hill, United of European Bottled Water” (Borntraeger Science Kingdom) from the 11th to 14th April 2011 Publishers) to send leaflets for inclusion in the [www.edgehill.ac.uk/segh2011/specialistsessions/ participant conference bags, and to offer the books mapping]. The conveners of the session were at reduced price. Chris C. Johnson (United Kingdom) and Alecos Demetriades (Hellas). The following oral Finally, since the SEGH conferences award prizes presentations were delivered: to the best student oral and poster presentations on urban geochemistry, Wiley-Blackwell provided • Ottesen, R.T. and Langedal, M., 2011. Urban two copies of the Urban Geochemistry book for geochemistry and health in Norway in the period this purpose. The profile of EuroGeoSurveys was 1994-2011. Keynote presentation. SEGH 2011 promoted well during the conference, and many Figure 2. Front and back cover of the book “Mapping the Book of abstracts, p.1. Chemical Environment of Urban Areas”, published by people learnt of its existence and published material. • Demetriades, A., Tassiou, S., Kaminari, M. and Wiley-Blackwell in April 2011. Note the EuroGeoSurveys logo. Vassiliades, E., 2011. Urban and suburban geochemical surveys in Hellas. SEGH 2011 Book • Scanlon, R. and O’Connor, P., 2011. Dublin of abstracts, p.2. SURGE (Soil Urban Geochemistry) project - Baseline heavy metals and persistent organic • Pfleiderer, S., 2011. Urban geochemistry of Vienna, pollutants in Dublin topsoil. SEGH 2011 Book of Austria. SEGH 2011 Book of abstracts, p.2-3. abstracts, p.5.

• Scheib, C., Everett, P., Flight, D., Green, K., • Johnson, C.C. and Demetriades, A., 2011. Knights, K., Lister, T.R., Nice, A. and Scheib, A., Mapping the chemical environment of urban 2011. London Earth: The chemistry of the surface areas: Current issues and future developments. Figure 3. EuroGeoSurveys desk at the SEGH 2011 International environment in the UK’s most populous city. SEGH 2011 Book of abstracts, p.6-7. Conference on Environment and Health, Edge Hill University, SEGH 2011 Book of abstracts, p.3-4. Edge Hill, United Kingdom. The shape of our business page 51 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

6.4.3. Urban Geochemistry project (URGE) The following presentations on Urban Geochemistry • Flight, D. and Scheib, A., 2011. A geochemical were delivered at the annual Geochemistry Expert transect through Greater London: Precious The URGE project’s objective is to compare the Group’s meeting, which was held at the premises metals and URGE. urban geochemistry of several European cities of the Geological Survey of Finland in Espoo from using the same sampling protocol and analytical the 5th to the 6th October 2011: • Ottesen, R.T., 2011. Plans for the final URGE report. procedures. It has already started, and is led by Urban Geochemistry Book project: Rolf Tore Ottesen of NGU. More than 25 members • Gosar, M. and Špela, B., 2011. Introduction to of the group volunteered to sample a city for the • Johnson, C.C., Demetriades, A., Ottesen, R.T. URGE project in Idrija. project. The main problem, however, is financing and Locutura, J., 2011. Mapping the chemical sample analyses. It was agreed to use a environment of urban areas: Status report. One Geological Survey publication: commercial laboratory for the analytical work and that each participating city/survey must cover the URGE project: • Tarvainen, T., 2011. Hämeenlinnan analytical costs. Up to date the following cities taajamageokemia (Urban geochemistry in have been sampled: Acerra-Marigliano (Napoli), • Glennon, M., Scanlon, R., O’Connor, P., Finne, Hämeenlinna city). In Finnish with an English Aschersleben, Dublin, Hämeenlinna, Idrija, T.E., Andersson, M., Eggen, O., Jensen, H.K.B. abstract. Hämeenlinnan ympäristöjulkaisuja 17. Karlstad, Kristiansand, London (transect), Napoli and Ottesen, R.T., 2011. Dublin SURGE Project: City of Hämeenlinna and Geological Survey of and Sisak; Ajka (Hungary) Athens, Lisbon and a Baseline survey of heavy metals and organic Finland, 30 pp. Croatian city may follow in 2012. contaminants in topsoil in the greater Dublin area. 6.5. Material for EuroGeoSurveys This is an important project, because it is dealing • Tarvainen, T., 2011. The Finnish URGE town publications and presentations with the chemical environment of urban areas, Hämeenlinna. where most of us live and work. Geological An overview of the EGS Geochemistry Expert Surveys are the only institutions that can map • Birke, M. and Rauch, U., 2011. URGE Project: Group activities was written and published in the systematically urban areas, and in a harmonised Urban geochemical mapping of Aschersleben. 2nd Issue of EuroGeoSurveys News (April 2011) - manner to produce comparable data sets across see pages 10-16. Another report was written and Europe, and have the know-how to distinguish • Albanese S., Cosenza A., De Vivo B. and Lima published in the EuroGeoSurveys 2010 Annual between the natural and urban (anthropogenically A., 2011. The geochemical atlas of the Acerra- Report (see pages 40-48). Finally, PowerPoint modified) geochemical background. Furthermore, Marigliano suburban area (Napoli) in the material was produced for the GEO (Group on Earth legislatively driven demand for geochemical data framework of the URGE project. Observations) Ministerial Summit, which has held from the urban environment is now an important in Beijing, China, from 3-5 November 2011. requirement in the challenge to produce healthier • Ottesen, R.T., 2011. Urban geochemistry in Europe: and cleaner towns and cities. It is, therefore, Norwegian contribution City of Kristiansand. important that in 2012 further cities are added to the project. The shape of our business page 52 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

6.6. 2011 Annual meeting Clemens Reimann (Norway) has a “Norwegian L., Ottonello, G., Paukola, T., Plant, J.A., Financial Mechanism” project (Biogeochemistry of Reimann, C., Schermann, O., Siewers, U., The annual meeting of the Geochemistry Expert the Czech Republic) with the Institute for Landscape Steenfelt, A., Van Der Sluys, J. & Williams, L., Group was held from the 5th-6th October 2011 at and Ornamental Gardening in Pruhonice. 1998. FOREGS Geochemical Mapping Field the amphitheatre of Geological Survey of Finland Manual. Geological Survey of Finland, Espoo, (GTK) in Espoo, Helsinki, and on the 7th October at 6.8. 2012 Annual meeting Guide 47, 36 pp. The electronic version of the Radisson Blu Hotel, Espoo. The GEMAS Executive field manual can be downloaded from: Committee held a meeting on the 4th October 2011 The next meeting of the geochemistry group is [www.gtk.fi/foregs/geochem/fieldman.pdf]. at GTK. Twenty-seven people attended the meeting. scheduled for early October 2012 in Lisbon. This is The field manual is in the process of being The group received a very warm welcome to an important meeting for the GEMAS project will updated to include sampling instructions for Espoo by Dr. Keijo Nenonen, Director of Southern be finalised and the publication of the atlas planned. Karst, Desert, Tropical and Arctic terrains. Finland Office. The first two days were devoted to The URGE project should also be in a stage to plan group activities, including the URGE project. its final reporting. • 2005: Salminen, R. (Chief Editor), Batista, M.J., The third day was totally devoted to national Bidovec, M., Demetriades, A., De Vivo, B., presentations of GEMAS project results. 7. Results and impacts De Vos, W., Duris, M., Gilucis, A., Gregorauskiene, V., Halamic, J., Heitzmann, P., Lima, A., Jordan, 6.7. Participation in International projects The EuroGeoSurveys Geochemistry Expert Group, G., Klaver, G., Klein, P., Lis, J., Locutura, J., since its first mandate in 1985 by the Western Marsina, K., Mazreku, A., O’Connor, P.J., Olsson, Members of the working group are collaborating in European Geological Survey Directors (WEGS), S.Å., Ottesen, R.T., Petersell, V., Plant, J.A., a number of EU-funded research projects: and its subsequent by the Forum of European Reeder, S., Salpeteur, I., Sandström, H., Siewers, Geological Surveys Directors (FOREGS), and U., Steenfelt, A. & Tarvainen, T., 2005. FOREGS Maria Joao Batista (Portugal), Alecos Demetriades EuroGeoSurveys has produced an enormous Geochemical Atlas of Europe, Part 1: Background (Hellas) and Juan Locutura (Spain) are participating amount of results that have been published in Information, Methodology and Maps. Geological in the ProMine project (Nano-particle products reports and publications. A list of products from Survey of Finland, Espoo, 526 pp. Available from new mineral resources in Europe - 1989 to 2008 can be viewed at: [www. online at: [www.gtk.fi/publ/foregsatlas] [http://promine.gtk.fi]), which is financed by the 7th globalgeochemicalbaselines.eu/publications.html]. Framework programme (2009-2013). • 2005: The establishment of the Geochemical Significant milestones are: Atlas of Europe Interactive Website [www.gtk.fi/ Alecos Demetriades (Hellas) is participating in the publ/foregsatlas] by the Geological Survey of GS Soil project (Assessment and strategic • 1998: Salminen, R., Tarvainen, T., Demetriades, Finland, which was an innovative venture at the development of INSPIRE compliant Geodata- A., Duris, M., Fordyce, F.M., Gregorauskiene, V., time, and continues to be for the dissemination of Services for European Soil Data - [www.gssoil.eu]), Kahelin, H., Kivisilla, J., Klaver, G., Klein, P., the data sets, maps, text, photographs, etc. which is a financed by the eContentplus Larson, J.O., Lis, J., Locutura, J., Marsina, K., programme (2009-2012). Mjartanova, H., Mouvet, C., O’Connor, P., Odor, The shape of our business page 53 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

• 2006: De Vos, W., Tarvainen, T., Salminen, R., 2008 with the title “Geochemical Mapping from Journal of Geochemical Exploration, Special Reeder, S., De Vivo, B., Demetriades, A., Pirc, S., the Global to the Local Scale: The Arthur Darnley issue, 107(3), 217-422. Available for purchase at: Batista, M.J., Marsina, K., Ottesen, R.T., Symposium”. Since, then more than 1000 copies [www.journals.elsevier.com/journal-of- O’Connor, P.J., Bidovec, M., Lima, A., Siewers, of the DVD have been distributed world wide. geochemical-exploration/special-issues] and U., Smith, B., Taylor, H., Shaw, R., Salpeteur, I., [www.sciencedirect.com/science/ Gregorauskiene, V., Halamic, J., Slaninka, I., Lax, • 2008: EuroGeoSurveys Geochemistry Working journal/03756742/107/3] K., Gravesen, P., Birke, M., Breward, N., Ander, Group, 2008. EuroGeoSurveys Geochemical E.L., Jordan, G., Duris, M., Klein, P., Locutura, J., mapping of agricultural and grazing land soil of • 2011: Johnson, C.C., Demetriades, A., Locutura, Bel-lan, A., Pasieczna, A., Lis, J., Mazreku, A., Europe (GEMAS) - Field manual. Geological J. & Ottesen, R.T. (Editors), 2011. Mapping the Gilucis, A., Heitzmann, P., Klaver, G. & Petersell, Survey of Norway, Trondheim, NGU Report Chemical Environment of Urban Areas. V., 2006. Geochemical Atlas of Europe. Part 2 - 2008.038, 46 pp. Available online at: Wiley-Blackwell, Oxford, UK, 618 pp. Available Interpretation of Geochemical Maps, Additional [www.ngu.no/en-gb/hm/Publications/ for purchase at: [http://eu.wiley.com/WileyCDA/ Tables, Figures, Maps, and Related Publications. Reports/2008/2008-038] WileyTitle/productCd-0470747242.htm] Geological Survey of Finland, Espoo, 692 pp. Available online at: [www.gtk.fi/publ/foregsatlas]. • 2009: Reimann C., Demetriades A., Eggen O.A., • 2011: Reimann, C., Demetriades, A., Eggen, Filzmoser P. & the EuroGeoSurveys Geochemistry O.A., Peter Filzmoser, P. & the EuroGeoSurveys • 2006: Production of the Geochemical Atlas of Expert Group, 2009. The EuroGeoSurveys Geochemistry Expert Group, 2011. Europe CD, which includes the text of the two geochemical mapping of agricultural and grazing The EuroGeoSurveys GEochemical Mapping of parts of the Geochemical Atlas, all the land soils project (GEMAS) - Evaluation of quality Agricultural and grazing land Soils project geochemical maps, field manual, and all the data control results of aqua regia extraction analysis. (GEMAS) - Evaluation of quality control results of sets. Up to now more than 2500 original copies Geological Survey of Norway, Trondheim, NGU total C and S, total organic carbon (TOC), cation have been disseminated world wide. In 2008, Report 2009.049, 94 pp. Available online at: exchange capacity (CEC), XRF, pH, and particle the Executive Committee of the IUGS/IAGC [www.ngu.no/en-gb/hm/Publications/ size distribution (PSD) analysis. Geological Global Geochemical Baselines Task Group Reports/2009/2009-049] Survey of Norway, Trondheim, NGU Report decided to produce a DVD to honour its first 2011.043, 90 pp. Available online at: chairperson, Dr. Arthur G. Darnley. The DVD • 2010: Reimann, C. and Birke, M. (Editors), 2010. [www.ngu.no/upload/Publikasjoner/ includes all the material of the Geochemical Atlas Geochemistry of European Bottled Water. Rapporter/2011/2011_043.pdf] of Europe CD, the book by Darnley et al. (1995), Borntraeger Science Publishers, Stuttgart, and all publications concerned with continental 268 pp. Available for purchase at: The material produced by the EGS Geochemistry scale mapping from 1989 to 2008. The DVD was [www.schweizerbart.de/publications/detail/ Expert Group had considerable impact not only in first distributed at the 1st Symposium in honour artno/001201002#] Europe, but globally, because the results of the of Arthur Darnley, which was held during geochemical atlases were produced for the first the 33rd International Geological Congress in Oslo • 2010: Birke, M., Demetriades, A. and De Vivo, B. time in a harmonised manner, beginning from (Norway) as a special session on the 9 August (Guest Editors), 2010. Mineral Waters of Europe. sampling, sample preparation, analysis, quality The shape of our business page 54 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

control and map production. The most significant in peer-reviewed journals and 4 publications in innovation is the harmonisation of all procedures, conference proceedings. and, most importantly, the analysis of the same suite of samples in the same laboratory, because Trondheim, 3rd February, 2012 this is the only way to produce continent wide Dr. Clemens Reimann - Chairman, harmonised results for decision makers, EuroGeoSurveys Geochemistry Expert Group researchers and the general public. E-mail: [email protected]

8. Future perspectives

Future perspectives include (i) the publication of the GEMAS atlas results in a book form by mid-2013, (ii) publication of a number of papers on GEMAS results during 2012 and 2013, (iv) publication of second book on urban geochemistry using URGE project results, (v) updating of Geochemical Atlas of Europe and GEMAS websites, and (vi) development of new projects, such as lithogeochemistry of Europe, and update of the FOREGS stream water geochemistry etc.

The GEMAS project got 33 references in peer- reviewed journals, reports and books. The Annual Report for 2012 was compiled and edited by Alecos Demetriades with the assistance of all EGS Geochemistry Expert Group and associate members. The final version for submission to the EGS office was approved by Clemens Reimann.

Moreover the EGS Geochemistry Expert Group and associate members have attended more than 10 conferences and workshops giving 18 oral presentations and presenting in 8 poster sessions. Finally outcomes of the project included 10 publications The shape of our business page 55 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

Mineral Resource Expert EuroGeoSurveys Mineral Resources Expert group national / member states capacities and other Expert Group (EGS MREG) wishes to become the leading partner international ones. within a European Mineral Information Network, or The focus of MREG is on two main areas: 1. Executive summary other form of cooperation, that will be providing • tools and expertise to support the sustainable • Information about and coordination of EU Mineral Resource Expert Group (MREG) is a forum minerals supply for Europe. Mineral information projects related to minerals among all members of experts and scientists of EGS members. provided by EGS MREG is based on globally of EGS, especially those related EIP RM, The main aim of the MREG is to coordinate EGS comparable standards of excellence for science • members on the EU level with regard to the EU and expertise and these standards will be maintained. • Establishing European Mineral Intelligence projects related to minerals and to establish the The vision will be carried out collaboratively with Network or other form within the EGS members European Mineral Intelligence Network or other other organizations that have mineral information in the core, form within the EGS members in the core. MREG and expertise, and with consumers of that is supporting EU commission in its activities related information. Main features that are supporting the main activity to Raw Materials Initiative (such as European areas of MREG program are: Innovation Partnership on Raw Materials) and is 3. Scope and focus • also cooperating with the Member states through • To strengthen the EGS MR EG group and ERAMIN network and the minerals industry. With the Communication on Raw Materials relations with other relevant bodies or institutions The latter is done with an active involvement in the Initiative (RMI) in 2008 minerals related topics by improved communication and coordination, European Technological Platform - Sustainable returned on the political and research agenda of • Mineral Resources (ETP-SMR) where the EGS European Commission as well as in the Member • To focus on priorities: office and MREG is acting as ETP SMR Secretariat. States. One of the outcomes is also an increased • All activities in 2011 were focused in the areas number of calls for the minerals projects. Many • Communication on Raw Materials Initiative - mentioned above. EGS members are involved in the implementation RMI and supporting actions (such as European • of those projects, some of them act as project Innovation Partnership on Raw Materials) 2. Mission and vision coordinators (BRGM, TNO, GeoZS). This trend is to • continue in the 2012 and beyond and it is based on • EU minerals projects (past & ongoing) The mission of the EuroGeoSurveys Mineral the Communication on Raw Materials in February • Resources Expert Group (EGS MREG) is to provide 2011 and an expected adoption of the European • Cooperation with the ERAMIN network and the the best available mineral expertise and information Innovation Partnership on Raw Materials (EIP RM). European Technological Platform - Sustainable based on the knowledge base of member geological Mineral Resources (ETP-SMR) surveys, for policy, industry, communication and The RMI communications created a historic • education purposes on European level. opportunity to establish the European Mineral Intelligence Network (eMINEnt) on European Union level. eMINEnt would be built on existing The shape of our business page 56 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

4. The European dimension • AEGOS - Dakar - April 2011 Commission as a ETP SMR proposal for action within one of the EIP RM work packages (WP 3). All MREG activities have an European dimension. Some MREG members attended the first ERAMIN The Expert Group does not interfere on EGS network meeting in November 2011 in Brussels, Impacts of the last year activities of MREG are hard member state / geological survey level. MREG has and some a meeting of the exploration geology / to measure, because actions and related impacts good contacts with the representatives of ore deposit geology scientists and experts in are not clearly linked. However, it should be European Commission (DG Enterprise, DG Grenoble (October 2011) where an initiative (entitled exposed that almost all minerals related activities Research and Innovation), as well as with the EU EODI) for the joint actions /research between public on EU level are influenced by at least one of MREG mineral resources associations (Euromines, institutions (academia, geological surveys, member, if not as MREG or EGS. UEPG, IMA-Europe). Chair of MREG is acting as institutes) and extractive industry was created. • Executive Secretary of European Technological 7. Future perspectives Platform - Sustainable Mineral Resources The ETP SMR related activities involved several (ETP-SMR) Secretariat that is placed at EGS office. meetings of the Steering Committee in Brussels The first half of the year 2012 adoption of Innovation (September, November, December 2011 / January Partnership (IP) on raw materials is expected, and 5. Activity report 2012) as well as the High Level Group meeting in this will trigger several activities of which some are June and October 2011. already in the preparation phase. One of major The annual MREG meeting took place in May 2011 ones is a formulation of Knowledge and Innovation in Brussels. At the meeting major topics were Some MREG members were acting as technical Community (KIC) on Raw Materials. In this period discussed and coordination among the MREG assistance for the EU Commission at the EU - few important conferences and meetings are members was improved. Greenland workshop in Copenhagen (January planned, among them Brussels MREG meeting in 2012) where Greenland’s programme for mineral March (in conjunction with ICTF), GUES planes to The minerals projects (Promine, EuroGeoSource, exploration and infrastructure in Greenland was organize the Minerals conference in frame of AEGOS, EOMINERS, SARMa) with the EGS presented. Danish Presidency, ETP SMR Stakeholders Forum members were promoted at the EU Commission • will take place ..etc. Beside that several tenders are level. MREG Chair made presentations also at the 6. Results and impacts expected from DG Enterprise as well as the FP 7 EGS Strategic Workshop in Ljubljana (September call in summer (NMP, Environment). 2011) and the EU Africa Conference in Brussels All activities of the MREG have been supporting the (January 2012). ongoing EU Commission efforts related to RMI, Most EU minerals projects with EGS members are especially at the drafting of the relevant documents in the stage that can present some results, and MREG Chair is/was a member of Advisory Board of (from non-papers to proposals, tenders and calls). their importance and impacts are growing within two projects and he attended project meetings: The project proposals of members of MREG group the EU minerals community. MREG members will resulted in the proposed call for the minerals stay active within the ERAMIN project (network or • EUROGEOSOURCE - Budapest - March 2011 supply network as Coordination Action. The MREG mineral funding member state research agencies) minerals network proposal was delivered to the in order to prepare joint (coordinated among The shape of our business page 57 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

members states and EU Commission) minerals call. MREG will stay active in the preparation of the European Geological Infrastructure proposal with its European Minerals Network (eMINEnt) proposal.

MREG and EGS office will run the ETP SMR Secretariat throughout the whole year where a further expansion of Secretariat is expected (a legal entity, an increased amount and intensity of activities).

Beside foreseen activities described above the “regular” MREG activities need to happen as well. These activities are: (1) communication among MREG members, (2) coordination among ongoing EU projects, (2) cooperation with other Expert Groups / Task Forces (EOEG, ICTF ...), (4) active cooperation with other organizations (cooperation with USGS?) and activities (Raw Materials Group, EU minerals related conferences, etc..).

Looking at the past and future report’s conclusion should be:

There is a need for more capacity and synergy among the MREG members, EGS Expert groups and EGS members! The shape of our business page 58 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

Geoenergy 2. Mission 4. Activity report Expert Group The EGS GEEG shall provide impartial, scientifically Since May 2010 EGS GEEG has been a member of This has been the second year with the robust information to advance the understanding of the Berlin Forum Indigenous Fossil Fuels Working EuroGeoSurveys’ GeoEnergy Expert Group (EGS fossil fuel energy and geothermal energy (geoenergy) Group under DG ENER. GEEG). This Expert Group was generated under the resources in Europe, to contribute to plans for a encouragement of the EU DG ENER and was first secure energy future, to facilitate evaluation and 5. Results and impacts thought only to be engaged with fossil fuels. Later responsible use of energy resources, and to in 2010 it was decided that the task force also analyse future geoenergy resources of Europe and Due to the work carried out in the Berlin Forum should cover geothermal energy. The GeoEnergy possibilities of their sustainable use. Indigenous Fossil Fuels Working Group the EGS Expert Group consists of 22 representatives from GEEG is by the DG ENER considered as their 14 of the EuroGeoSurveys’ member organizations. The EGS GEEG research portfolio is responsive to independent experts and advisors on geological The EGS GEEG Mission and Vision statements are. the EU Commission policies and priorities, either matters with regards to geoenergy. established through legislative forms or not, internal 1. Vision strategic planning, important and unanticipated 6. Future perspectives global events, customer surveys and needs, The EGS GEEG wishes to become a leading partner and the guiding principles of objective and EU Unconventional Plays within a European fossil fuel and geothermal impartial science. The task force will try starting a pilot study on a information network that will provide expertise to study of gas potential of the Lower Paleozoic support the geoenergy supply for Europe. Geoenergy 3. The European dimension shales in the Baltic Basin together with USGS. information provided by EGS GEEG is based on It includes on- and offshore areas in the following public available and accessible information and The EGS GEEG was generated as a response to countries: Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, data, which are of globally comparable standards a request from EU DG ENER. The request was Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Kaliningrad (Russian of excellence for science and expertise. The EGS’ originally formed as a demand for an impartial enclave), Poland and Germany. The main reason geoenergy expertise will be provided for the mapping and resource evaluation of the EU coal. for such a corporation is that while the European European Society. The vision will be carried out EGS decided that this request had merit for the geological surveys has the data and knowledge on collaboratively with other organizations that have generation of a new Task Force - The EuroGeoSurveys the specific shale stratigraphy, sedimentology, and GeoEnergy information and expertise, and with Fossil Fuels & Geothermal Energy Task Force. petrography etc., USGS has built up, through their consumers of that information. The Task Force has within the last year developed work in the US, a vast experience in assessing the into an Expert Group - The EGS GEEG. As stated in shale gas potential. the vision the Task Force research portfolio will be Buchardt, Nielsen, Schovsbo, 1997 responsive to the EU Commission policies and The overall goal with this pilot study is to develop priorities, which will follow the guiding principles of the pilot into a study that covers the entire Europe, objective and impartial science. financed by the Horizon 2020. The shape of our business page 59 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

Shale Gas Definitions on EGS web page During discussions with DG ENER and DG ENV it has become evident for EGS GEEG that there is a need for a web site, where the public can get objective information and definitions with regards to Shale Gas. The EGS GEEG is planning to introduce these information’s on the EGS web-site covering a wide range of shale gas related issues e.g. Conventional/Unconventional reservoirs, Shale Gas in Europe, Potential environmental hazards, Casing zones and cement, Horizontal Wells, Hydraulic Fracturing, Micro seismicity, Fracture fluid.

Fig. 2: Conventional/Unconventional reservoirs The shape of our business page 60 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

Spatial Information Geological Surveys to build the Geoscientific Spatial 2. 2. Vision Expert Group Data Infrastructure, as a contribution to EGS strategy. The Expert Group has a direct role to INSPIRE sets up a framework of data, technology, 1. Executive summary contribute to the definition of the European policies policies, standards, and human resources, which aim at developing the European information necessary to facilitate the sharing and using of The implementation phase of the INSPIRE Directive infrastructure (INSPIRE, SEIS, GMES). It is also a spatial information. This broad and ambitious is critical for the success of the initiative to build the place to share expertise between EGS members. objective has been recognized as strategic for the European Spatial Data Infrastructure. EGS has Geological Surveys, giving the opportunity to been very active in the INSPIRE process since its The current prime mission of the Spatial provide a better visibility, access and use to the inception in 2002, and is fully involved in the working Information Expert Group is to coordinate the subsurface data, information and knowledge. groups created by the Commission to prepare the contribution of EuroGeoSurveys to the INSPIRE implementation rules. The role of the Spatial implementation. In practical terms: The development of the INSPIRE rules is therefore Information Expert Group (formerly INSPIRE AND very important to consider, as it will condition the Geographic Information Expert Group) as a • to prepare the contribution of EGS to review the success and the efficiency of the implementation of coordinating and supporting structure is therefore INSPIRE implementing rules (IR), and to co-ordinate the European Spatial Data Infrastructure. important to guarantee that the impact of the Directive with direct contributions from national surveys for the surveys will be positive and to ensure that it experts involved in the Thematic Working Groups EGS has been involved in the design of the will contribute to build the European Geological Directive from 2003, and has been identified as a Data Infrastructure (EGDI), which is one of the main • to share expertise between EGS members about very supportive and contributive community. strategic objectives of EGS, on the foundation of interoperability developments and implementation European projects, such as OneGeology-Europe the OneGeology-Europe distributed infrastructure. have demonstrated the capacity of EGS members • to prepare the maintenance of the INSPIRE to develop and implement prototypes of INSPIRE The Expert Group is a pool of expertise of EGS specifications and to co-ordinate relation compliant infrastructures. members to define, design, develop and maintain between EGS and standardization bodies the EGDI through the direct contribution of the (IUGS/CGI, OGC,…). On a longer perspective, it is important to notice Geological Surveys and the support of European the strong connection of INSPIRE with GMES and funded projects. As the other Expert Groups, the Spatial Information with SEIS (Shared Environmental Information Expert EG has also the mission to define and System). SEIS aims at developing a comprehensive 2. Mission and vision propose projects that could be funded by the EC, European network of information services based and could contribute to the global objectives of on the INSPIRE principles that could be used in 2. 1. Mission EGS. In particular, the definition of the follow-up of particular for reporting on environmental directives. OneGeology-Europe to develop a common EGDI is The maintenance of the INSPIRE specifications will The mission of the Spatial Information Expert part of the current mission of the SIEG. require a strong commitment from the communities, Group is to coordinate the efforts of the European and EGS will have to contribute. The shape of our business page 61 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

Regarding the EGDI construction, it is important to • Preparatory phase (2004-2006) - To collect the first comments and reactions on develop a shared vision of what will be this this draft infrastructure, how it will be managed, and how the • Transposition phase (2007-2009) different contributions (both on the content and - To organize the review, and testing of the technical dimensions) will be assembled in a • Implementation phase (2009-2013). version that will be released in spring with the consistent manner. The capability of EGS to deliver contribution of the EGs and of the European information services at the European scale to The current phase of data specifications, which is projects (Thermomap, Geoseas, Pangeo, respond to user needs will strongly depend on the critical for the environmental information producers EuroGeoSource, Promine). efficiency of this infrastructure. (including the GSOs) will end in 2013. However, the standardization process will not end and be • Teleconference 09/05/2011 3. Scope and focus followed by an active maintenance activity that will - Objective : follow-up on data specification enhance and refine the harmonization of geospatial review process Spatial Information is really transverse in the information, and guarantee its consistency with the business of the Geological Surveys; it is an requirements of the Environmental Reporting • Edinburgh - 30/06/2011 - 20 participants (at the important dimension of almost any information obligations, and of the market needs. occasion of the INSPIRE conference), , objectives managed by the surveys. Therefore, the SIEG has of the meeting : strong connections will all the other EGS Expert The MOU signed between EGS and EEA formalizes Groups that cover thematic areas, and which a part of the contribution of EGS to EU policy - Define scope of EGS and projects contribution contribute to the EGS information strategy in their through delivery of information services. to INSPIRE EC calls respective domain. 5. Activity report - Identify contributions of GSOs and projects to The SIEG focuses on the global consistency of the comments and testing of INSPIRE data way spatial information has to be defined, managed The SIEG had two physical meetings and a specifications for EGS related themes and delivered to provide harmonised services at teleconference in 2011: the European scale. It also has to provide EGS with - Identify leaders to coordinate the contributions a clear technical strategy to guarantee the adequacy • Brussels 30/01/2011 - 01/02/2011 - 25 participants, per theme of the developments of its infrastructure in the objectives of the meeting : context of global spatial information infrastructures - Agree on an overall schedule for delivering the (INSPIRE, GEOSS, SEIS, OneGeology…). - To share the information about the status of EGS contribution. development of the data specifications by TWGs 4. The European dimension Members of the SIEG were also invited to different - To present an overview of the draft meetings: The INSPIRE process is divided into three phases specifications for the Geology, mineral (the detailed roadmap is given in Annex): resources, energy, natural risk zones themes • “EGS Strategy workshop” in Ljubljana : 02/09/2011 The shape of our business page 62 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

• “EGS Directors meeting” in Warsaw : 20-21/09/2011 Between July and end of October, 462 comments Every comment will receive a specific answer. were collected and consolidated from 15 geological The Chai r of the SIEG was invited by the Commission • “GE-MR TWG comment review meeting” in surveys (AUSTRIA, CZECH REPUBLIC, to the “Comment Resolution Workshop” in Ispra on Barcelona : 8-10/11/2011 DENMARK, FINLAND, FRANCE, GERMANY, 5-7 December 2011, EGS been invited to this ITALY, POLAND, SPAIN, SWEDEN, workshop as a major contributor to the process. • “GEO Plenary” in Istanbul - 16-17/11/2011 : SWITZERLAND, THE NETHERLANDS, UK, presentation of SIEG activities and projects, EMILIA ROMAGNA, CATALONIA). A draft V2.9 data specification is under preparation participation to EGS booth by the TWGs and will be discussed soon with the This work has been conducted through the Commission before the final release of V3.0 in April. • “Inspire Comment Resolution Workshop” in Ispra coordination by different surveys for every data on 05-07 /12/2011 theme relevant for EGS : 6.2. EGDI development

6. Results and impacts Theme GSO Coordinator After the decision of the EGS Directors to maintain Geology ISPRA Marco Pantaloni and develop the OneGeology-Europe infrastructure, 6.1. Contribution to INSPIRE Hydrogeology BGR Kristine Asch discussions about the content of its evolution and implementing rules Geophysics IGC Sara Figueras the organization of the EGS data infrastructure was Jordi Marturia discussed at different occasions (including the The main technical contribution has been related to Natural Risk zones CZS Lucie Kondrova January and June 2011 SIEG meetings). the INSPIRE data specification process. The EGS Dana Capova experts (see list in annexe) have deeply contributed Mineral Resources SGU Lars-Kristian Stölen Following the EGS meeting about strategy to the TWGs work. It should be acknowledged that Energy resources TNO Robert-Jan (2nd September 2011 in Ljubljana), the SIEG was the EGS experts have been the main contributors VanLeeuwen asked to deliver a concept note to the Warsaw for some data themes (including geology and General Meeting On 20-21 September. Given this mineral resources), thus representing a significant Coordinators of data specifications review per data very short delay, a paper was prepared by a few in kind contribution of EGS members to the theme. members of the SIEG and sent to the Directors and European process. to the SIEG members. It was the basis of the Contributions from the following projects were also discussion in Warsaw. The note proposed a work After the production of the V2.0 of the draft integrated: EuroGeoSource, Subcoast, Georg, plan, built as a project with work packages. specifications for annex II and III data themes, the OneGeology-Europe, PanGeo, Promine, Commission issued two calls for reviewing and Thermomap. This document is a proposal to identify the different testing these draft specifications. objectives of development, and to structure the The GE-MR (Geology and Mineral Resources) TWG work that has to be produced by the EGS members. The SIEG coordinated an EGS contribution to these received 1138 comments about Geology and 282 It addresses short term objectives which can be calls (EGS acting in its SDIC role). comments about Mineral Resources. achieved by a coordinated action of EGS (without The shape of our business page 63 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

external funding) and more long term and ambitious will therefore be published as recommendations • INSPIRE 2012 Conference in Istanbul - June 2012 objectives that require specific external funding. (no obligation to implement). This will give at the same time more flexibility, and more control by the • IGC in Brisbane.(Session dedicated to the As a first opportunistic attempt to attract external communities. This means that EGS will have a key development of the European geological funding, the “EGDI-Scope” proposal has been setup role to play in the future to maintain and develop infrastructure) - August 2012. by some EGS members and the EGS Secretariat in those “extended” specifications. November 2011, in response to an FP7 Infrastructure Call. The answer to this proposal is expected in EGS will have also to define its contribution to March 2012. the coming call for experts for the maintenance of INSPIRE. The EGS position will be prepared by The governance of the global EGDI initiative still the SIEG. has to be decided by the EGS Directors, and the role of the SIEG clearly defined. Regarding EGDI, the SIEG will contribute according to the coming decision of Directors at the General 6.3. Related projects Meeting in March 2012.

SIEG has shared information about the SIEG will contribute to the EGS / EPOS partnership development of some major projects developed by that aims at facilitating the interoperability between EGS partners, as potential contributors of the future the two geo-infrastructures. EGDI : OneGeology-Europe Promine, AEGOS, PANGEO, EuroGeoSource, Emodnet, GeoSeas, The SIEG will work on the necessary coordination Thermomap, GeoRG. of EGS proposals to the next EC calls (FP7, ICT-PSP) regarding development and implementation of 7. Future perspectives spatial data.

The finalisation of INSPIRE data specifications will A face to face meeting of the SIEG is planned on still mobilize the activity of our TWGs experts mainly 28th February 2012. until April 2012 where they will deliver the V3. SIEG members will participate to the following The process of development of the data conferences: specifications has indicated that the specifications that will come in the legislation (with an obligation • Eurogeo 2012 Conference in Bologna (INSPIRE to implement) will probably be more limited than session) - June 2012 originally planned. A large part of the specifications The shape of our business page 64 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

9. Annexes

9.1. Detailed Roadmap of INSPIRE 29-Mar-2010 17(8) Adoption of Regulation as regards the access to spatial data sets and services of the Member States by Community institutions and Adoption bodies under harmonised conditions Milestone date Article Description 17-Jun-2010 9(a) Submission for opinion of the INSPIRE committee of amendment to 15-May-2007 - Entry into force of INSPIRE Directive Regulation for the interoperability of spatial data sets and services 15-Aug-2007 22§2 Establishment of the INSPIRE Committee for Annex I spatial data themes on code lists 14-May-2008 5§4 Submission for opinion of the INSPIRE committee of IR for 23-Nov-2010 16 Adoption of amendment of Regulation (EC) No 976/2009 as regards the creation and updating of metadata download services and transformation services 03-Dec-2008 5§4 Adoption of INSPIRE Metadata Regulation 23-Nov-2010 9(a) Adoption INSPIRE regulation for the interoperability of spatial data sets and services for Annex I spatial data themes 19-Dec-2008 21(4) Submission for opinion of the INSPIRE committee of IR for monitoring and reporting 04-Feb-2011 9(a) Adoption INSPIRE amendment to Regulation for the interoperability of spatial data sets and services for Annex I spatial data themes on 19-Dec-2008 16 Submission for opinion of the INSPIRE committee of IR for code lists discovery and view services June 20121 16 Submission for opinion of the INSPIRE committee of IR for the 15-May-2009 24§1 Provisions of Directive are brought into force in MS services allowing spatial data services to be invoked 05-Jun-2009 17(8) Submission for opinion of the INSPIRE committee of IR governing October 20121 9(b) Submission for opinion of the INSPIRE committee of IRs for the the access rights of use to spatial data sets and services for interoperability of spatial data sets and services for Annex II and III Community institutions and bodies spatial data themes 05-Jun-2009 21(4) Adoption of COMMISSION DECISION regarding INSPIRE Implementation MAFI Ferenc Sikhegyi monitoring and reporting Milestone date Article Description 19-Oct-2009 16 Adoption of INSPIRE Regulation on Network Services (Discovery and View) 15-May-2010 21§1 21§2 Implementation of provisions for monitoring and reporting 14-Dec-2009 9(a) Submission for opinion of the INSPIRE committee of Irs for the 03-Dec-2010 6(a) Metadata available for spatial data sets and services corresponding interoperability of spatial data sets and services for Annex I spatial to Annex I and II data themes 30-Jun-2011 15 The EC establishes and runs a geo-portal at Community level 14-Dec-2009 16 Submission for opinion of the INSPIRE committee of IR for 19-Oct-2011 17(8) Implementation of Regulation as regards the access to spatial data download services sets and services of the Member States by Community institutions 14-Dec-2009 16 Submission for opinion of the INSPIRE committee of IR for and bodies under harmonised conditions for new arrangements transformation services 09-Nov-2011 16 Discovery and view services operational The shape of our business page 65 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

23-Nov-2012 7§3, 9(a) Implementation of Commission Regulation (EU) No 1089/2010 of 23 November 2010 implementing Directive 2007/2/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards interoperability of spatial data sets and services for Newly collected and extensively restructured Annex I spatial data sets available December 20121 16 Transformation services operational December 20121 16 Download services operational 04-Feb-2013 7§3, 9(a) Implementation of Commission Regulation (EU) No 102/2011 of 4 February 2011 amending Regulation (EU) No 1089/2010 implementing Directive 2007/2/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards interoperability of spatial data sets and services for newly collected and extensively restructured spatial data sets 19-Apr-2013 17(8) Implementation of Regulation as regards the access to spatial data sets and services of the Member States by Community institutions and bodies under harmonised conditions for existing arrangements 03-Dec-2013 6(b) Metadata available for spatial data corresponding to Annex III December 20143 7§3, 9(b) Newly collected and extensively restructured Annex II and III spatial data sets available 23-Nov-2017 7§3, 9(a) Implementation of Commission Regulation (EU) No 1089/2010 of 23 November 2010 implementing Directive 2007/2/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards interoperability of spatial data sets and services for other spatial data sets still in use at the date of adoption 04-Feb-2018 7§3, 9(a) Implementation of Commission Regulation (EU) No 102/2011 of 4 February 2011 amending Regulation (EU) No 1089/2010 implementing Directive 2007/2/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards interoperability of spatial data sets and services for other spatial data sets still in use at the date of adoption October 20191 7§3, 9(b) Other Annex II and III spatial data sets available in accordance with IRs for Annex II and III 1 Date proposed by the commission 3 Date depending on entry into force of measure The shape of our business page 66 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

International Cooperation and • European geological surveys have large public he question is still open, however at present EGS Development Task Force (ICTF) archives of relevant geoscientific data which may International Cooperation and Development Task help African countries in policy making and Force (ICTF), have an initial main focus on Africa. 1. Executive summary sustainable use of mineral and non-energy raw materials, groundwater and geothermal energy 4. The European dimension The need for improving the cooperation with the African Geological Surveys was initially discussed • European geological surveys may help OAGS Presently, ICTF includes 19 members from at the 66th EGS ExCom meeting in June 2010. members in studies and assessing risk and 14 countries. It means that it counts about 50% Soon the concept evolved into the proposal to climate impact, especially those resulting from of the all EGS member states. We do hope that make European data on Africa available to ongoing “traditional” exploitation of mineral raw membership of ICTF will grow, taking under Organization of the African Geological Surveys materials and groundwater, that is the most consideration the fact that newly established task (OAGS) members. The idea was the outcome of important challenges for the XXI century force started action in the second half of 2011 talks between EGS and several African surveys (see member list - 8). Directors. After these talks, EGS has elaborated a • European geological surveys may also help proposal which would make possible unlocking OAGS members in staff training 5. Activity report geological data on Africa which are hold by individual EGS members. This would lead to strengthening • Growing demand for mineral resources in • Preparation of the paper on the draft scope of cooperation with OAGS countries and form a good EU Member States and secure access to specific the Task Force. platform for joint actions. As a further step mineral resources, the bulk of which is located EuroGeoSurveys 70th Executive Committee Meeting outside Europe, which opens a chance for • Distribution of the draft scope among the members held 27th June 2011 in Orléans have established mutually beneficial cooperation of the ICTF International Cooperation and Development Task Force (ICTF). The Chairmanship of this task force 3. Scope and focus • Participation of Marek Graniczny and presentation was assigned to Marek Graniczny (PGI - NRI), of the scope and vision of EGS and ICTF in AU Membership of this task force is still open. As it was mentioned before, it was felt necessary Conference of Ministers Responsible for Mineral to propose the establishment of a Task Force on Resources Development Second Ordinary 2. Mission and vision Africa. Discussion on this subject was continued at Session - Building a sustainable future for Africa’s the successive EGS meetings , during which extractive industry: From vision to action, Reasons to establish ICTF: several delegations proposed widening the mission 12 - 16 December, 2011 - Addis Ababa, Ethiopia of that new Task Force on other continents, like • High potential of European geological surveys to Latin and Southern America or even selected provide substantial information and expertise and countries in Asia. advice on current key issues T The shape of our business page 67 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

6. Results and impacts C. Improvement of geological mapping and Speaking on geological mapping in Africa, geoscience knowledge base would be he indicated the necessity to carry out correlations • Collection views and opinions of EG members on extremely beneficial for both Europe and in the cross-border areas. His remarks were taken the draft scope of work of ICTF, important for Africa, boosting development and enhancing into account and inserted in the table 2 - Action plan. compiling presentation for the Addis Ababa social welfare and natural environment conference. protection in Africa. However, it can be successful only when developed in the frame • The resulting EGS ICTF presentation focused on of a LARGE (many countries) joint OAGS/EGS the role of geological surveys in implementing initiative, involving also the academic system the African Mining Vision (AMV) at the and the private sector. background of organization, activities and external relations of the EGS. The reasons and D. Tools may include: help to comprise capacity aims and proposed actions of the newly building through the foundation of a established EGS ICTF were emphasized to put decentralized specialization school and other forward the question whether or not Africa needs trainings for African geologists, as well as a strong organization of the African geological acquisition of special software and Surveys (OAGS), capable to advise the African instruments and know-how. Union (AU) as EGS does for the EU. The answer should be positive and certainly implementation E. Existing successful initiatives, like AEGOS, of the AMV needs to give OAGS a central role. must be exploited. AEGOS should be Finally, five recommendations were presented: continued, extended in geographical coverage, and become one key component A. African national geological surveys should be of the proposed joint initiative led by African/ capable to make their governments more European geological surveys to improve the independent of the private sector and other geological mapping and geoscience organizations in supervising exploration and knowledge base of the African continent. sustainable use of the natural resources of Africa. On Wednesday 14 December, the EGS delegate took part in the discussion on programme B. The African geoscience knowledge base cluster 2 - Geological infrastructure. During the needs to be strengthened and the geological discussion the EGS delegate emphasized the role surveys’ capabilities to make new geological of EuroGeoSurveys as one of the organizations to maps needs to be upgraded. be included as a responsible body and main actor of the action plan. The shape of our business page 68 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

Action Plan

Expected Responsible bodys Activities Time frame Monitoring indicators accomplishment and main actors

Improved geological At national level and mining • Enhance the capacity and role of national geological institutions; MT • Levels of improvement in geological knowledge and mineral MS information systems • Improve resourcing of national geological survey institutions; potential EU to underpin • Improve a geological information management system ST • Numbers and types of functioning geo-scientific databases, EU Geo Services investment in • Increase regional mapping and exploration activities to upgrade ST cadastres and infrastructure system. Bilateral exploration and mineral inventories and geoscientific information base MT • Number of consultations frameworks and Development of RECs mine development • Reinforce and create synergy between the different geological and joint projects AUC mining related institutions (Ministries, Universities, Research UNCTAD Centers, etc) ST • Number of joint exploration programmes across member States At sub-regional and regional levels • Types and format of harmonized geo-scientific data across • RECs to adopt and implement sub-regional mapping and mineral member States Improve geological inventory programmes including through the use of modern remote mapping and sensing techniques; MT geoscience knowledge • RECs to scale-up efforts to standardize geological information base for boosting management methods and approaches (e.g. stratigraphy, cadastre, MT other economic legends, etc) sectors and enhancing • AUC to develop a continent-wide mapping and mineral inventory social development programme with special attention on cross border areas in and environment coordination with the Organization of African Geological Surveys protection (OAGS) and mobilize the necessary resources to implement it. Reinforce and create synergy between the different geological and mining related institutions (Ministries, Universities, Research Centers, etc) • Recognise and strengthen OAGS to make it relevant to the needs of the continent

At the continental level • AUC to coordinate values geoscientific continental wide taking place such as the Natural Resource Information Exchange (NRIE), AEGOS and mining policy framework The shape of our business page 69 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

7. Future perspectives

In Addis Ababa, EGS delegate had a talk with Lhacene Bitam, President of OAGS concerning creation of the Pan - African geological mapping project.

It was agreed that President Bitam will:

- open contact for EGS with individual OAGS members through his secretariat in Pretoria

- contacts individual OAGS members to collect information on actual needs and ideas concerning compilation of maps jointly with the EGS

- the collected information on needs and interests of the respective geological surveys will be used in compilation of a general scheme of the project proposal.

The next stage shall include elaboration of the project road map by the ICTF members. The shape of our business page 70 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

Marine Geology EuroGeoSurveys titled ‘Geoscience for European The need to maintain collaboration between the Expert Group Ocean Management - Outlook for the Next Decade’ marine departments of the surveys has never been in which emphasis was placed on cross-cutting greater. At national level, most, if not all, EU 1. Executive summary issues such as sustainable use of natural resources, Member States are introducing policies that ensure climate change, habitat mapping, natural hazards better integration of marine science. The drivers The Marine Geology Expert Group includes and long-term maintenance of databases. towards these policies are mainly EU Action Plans representatives from 22 of the EuroGeoSurveys and Directives (see section 3), and it is important member organisations. In addition, associate The underpinning factor of this strategy was the that EU Member State Governments develop members from non-EGS member organisations need to establish a system that provides the strategies in the marine environment that are make a valuable contribution to the group’s European Community with the geological underpinned by cross-border collaboration. objectives (see section 9). During 2011, members knowledge required to inform decisions that affect In order to respond to the EC’s demands for of the Marine Geology Expert Group (MGEG) have the marine environment. The group promotes the geological information in the marine environment, continued to be active in several EC-funded view that marine geological information and it is important that a high-level of marine geology projects, both as groups of EGS members and as interpretations are a fundamental requirement for expertise and information is visible within individual participants. MGEG members are also all activities that take place in the European seas. EuroGeoSurveys, based on full support at national involved in discussions to develop new EC For example, the definition of marine habitats as level and active collaboration with other scientific proposals and ventures. required by the EU Habitats and Birds Directives disciplines. requires a basic framework in which to assess the The main EC-funded project activity has been the importance of any habitat. 3. Scope and focus EMODNET-Geology Project. Several MGEG members also participated in the Geo-Seas Project. Although the group focuses on work carried out Marine geology has been a common theme within During 2011, several surveys have been involved within the national geological survey organisations, the geological surveys of Europe for many years. in the NAG-TEC (Northeast Atlantic Geoscience it is essential that we continue to look outwards to The Expert Group therefore has a long track-record Tectonostratigraphic Atlas) Project. develop collaboration between marine geologists of co-operation in both science and integration of and the marine biological, oceanographic/ information. In the last decade, the group has led 2. Mission and vision hydrographic and chemistry communities, who projects that have brought more than €8.5 million together form the main providers of scientific of EC funds to help deliver integrated databases The Marine Geology Expert Group (MGEG) aims to information for the European marine community. (EUMARSIN, EUROSEISMIC and GeoSeas projects) deliver high-quality information and advice to inform We also consider that it is essential for the group to and interpreted geological maps (EMODNET- decision-makers responsible for the European expand its geographical scope whenever possible, Geology). seas, and to lead in issues of global importance. as the issues that affect the European seas are not constrained by national boundaries. The focus of the group is to continue to look for The group established a long-term strategy in ways to collaborate in order to make marine 2004, when a document was submitted to geological information and advice available The shape of our business page 71 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

at a pan-European level. To meet this objective, maritime affairs that requires cross-cutting tools gaps in coverage, the projects would identify the the group has focused on responding to EC-funding to help policy makers and economic and main challenges in moving from a preparatory calls and tender actions. The MGEG also recognises environmental actors to join up their policies, ur-EMODNET programme to an operational the importance of participating in marine policy- interlink their activities and optimise the use of the EMODNET. As a result of a tender action, a group making at the EU level, which is done for example marine and coastal space in an environmentally of surveys from the MGEG bid for and won the through the Marine Observation and Data Expert sustainable manner. contract to provide the geological information for Group (MODEG - see section 5.2) established by the EMODNET programme (see section 3). the EC to provide them with the scientific, technical These tools, as set out in the Integrated Maritime and operational expertise it needs to ensure that the Policy Communication were to comprise: An impact assessment will assess options for European Marine Observation and Data Network the development of a more integrated network of moving towards a definitive EMODNET, both in the (EMODNET - see section 3) best meets the needs surveillance systems for European waters, intermediate period 2011-2013 and in the long of its future users. The MGEG currently provides the development of maritime spatial planning, term after 2014. At the same time efforts will begin three members to MODEG. assisted by a road map drawn up by the European to integrate other funding mechanisms. Given that Commission, and an EU Marine Observation and EMODNET is very much focused on a sea-basin The group also recognises the need to establish a Data Network (EMODNET) to optimise and bring scale and given the impetus accorded to territorial long-term strategy that does not depend solely on coherence to the current fragmented initiatives cohesion by the new Green Paper, discussions will EC funding, but which fits with the overarching EC that gather data on oceans and seas. Following an begin to determine whether cohesion funding could strategy towards the use of the marine environment. overwhelmingly positive response from stakeholders support the initiative. Moves will begin to integrate The group is therefore active in initiatives such as to its proposal, the European Commission, in its EMODNET with initiatives under the EU's Research the EuroGeoSurveys North Atlantic Group EU's Maritime Policy Blue Book, adopted in Infrastructure actions and the Common Fisheries (see section 4.2). October 2007 and welcomed by the European Policy Data Collection Regulation. Council in December 2007, undertook to take steps 4. The european dimension towards EMODNET in order to improve availability The ur-EMODNET has been operational of high quality data. The Commission undertook to throughout 2010 and 2011, collecting feedback In 2007 the Commission presented its vision for prepare by 2009 an EU action plan to make from users on fitness for purpose and indicating the Integrated Maritime Policy for the EU, progress in this area on the basis of a road map. how the definitive EMODNET might be set up. accompanied by an Action Plan [http://ec.europa. Should these prototypes prove to be successful, eu/maritimeaffairs/pdf/ActionPaper/action_plan_ It was proposed that the "proof of concept" of efforts will be made to extend their geographic en.pdf] in which it set out the delivery of a new EMODNET be tested through preparatory actions range in order to cover all of the waters of EU vision for Europe’s oceans and seas based on the that established portals for a number of maritime Member States for one or more sets of parameters consultation process that resulted from the Green basins for hydrographic, geological, biological and through Community instruments for territorial Paper on a Future Maritime Policy for the Union. chemical data as well as functional habitat maps. cooperation. Preparatory actions are designed to In this Action Plan, the Commission described a As well as providing access to marine data of a prepare proposals with a view to the adoption of new integrated governance framework for standard format and known quality and identify future actions. Based on the knowledge gathered The shape of our business page 72 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

during this exploratory ur-EMODNET a strategy • Common Fisheries Policy of the European Union information via a single portal. will be developed for moving ahead. 5. Activity report The geology data available includes: Underpinning the EC’s integrated maritime policies are a number of directives that require input of 5.1 EC-funded Projects • sea-bed sediments (Figure 1) geological information and knowledge. These directives steer the work carried out at national 5.1.1 EMODNET-Geology • sea-floor geology (see Figure 2) level within the marine departments of the European geological surveys, and help the MGEG members In response to the EU Green Paper on Future • boundaries and faults to align their work such that they are well-placed to Maritime Policy, the European Commission respond to EC strategy. These include: initiated the European Marine Observation and • rates of coastal erosion or accumulation Data Network (EMODNET). The overall objective is • Environmental Impact Assessment Directive to create pilot studies that assemble fragmented • geological events (submarine slides, earthquakes (June 1985), Directive 85/337/EEC and inaccessible marine data into interoperable, etc.) contiguous and publicly available datasets for • Habitats Directive (May 1992), whole maritime basins. • minerals Directive 92/43/EEC The EMODNET-Geology project is one of five The project started in July 2009 and will end in July • Water Framework Directive (October 2000), preparatory action projects that, in addition to 2012. The EMODNET-Geology Final Report was Directive 2000/60/EC marine geology, bring together information on submitted to the EC to deadline in July 2011 and marine chemistry, marine biology, hydrography was subsequently accepted. The final year of the • Strategic Environmental Assessment Directive and physical properties. Each project defines the project has been the ‘maintenance’ phase during (June 2001), Directive 2001/42/EC processes, technologies and approximate costs of which the final GIS data layers are being implementing a fully functioning European Marine developed. Advice about the ‘real’ EMODNET • Roadmap for Maritime Spatial Planning Observation and Data Network. For the project which will start in 2013-14 was provided by (November 2006), COM(2008) 791 EMODNET-Geology project, the project partners the project partners in conjunction with members have compiled data layers for the Baltic Sea, of the Marine Observation and Data Expert Group • Marine Strategy Framework Directive Greater North Sea and Celtic Sea. (MODEG). These recommendations include: (Adopted June 2008), Directive 2008/56/EC The delivery of the EMODNET-Geology data layers • expand areal coverage of the EMODnet-Geology • Marine Knowledge 2020 Initiative ( is through the OneGeology-Europe (1G-E) portal maps (to include the Bay of Biscay and Iberian September 2010) COM(2010) 461 (Figure 4.1). The maritime map layers are being coast, Mediterranean, Black Sea, Norwegian delivered using the IG-E portal to allow the delivery Sea, Barents Sea, North East Atlantic, Eastern • Marine Spatial Planning in the EU, COM(2010) 771 of both onshore and offshore geological Gulf of Finland) The shape of our business page 73 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

• highlight the significance of higher-resolution data the Atlantic and Mediterranean seas, partners from 5.1.2 Geo-Seas quality (particularly multibeam echosounder the Mediterranean counties were invited to attend bathymetry including backscatter) the EMODNET-Geology Project meeting in Tallinn, Geo-Seas is implementing an e-infrastructure of Estonia in November 2011 to hear about the project. 26 marine geological and geophysical data centres, • secure long-term updating of the geological maps located in 17 European maritime countries (14 of Project website: [www.emodnet-geology.eu] which are EGS Members). Users are enabled to • improve the spatial resolution (sub-areas), identify, locate and access pan-European, building on the existing work harmonised and federated marine geological and geophysical datasets and derived data products • increase the resolution of classification, and held by the data centres through a single common include different classification schemes for data portal. different users of geological data (e.g. bespoke particle-size analysis data for habitat mappers) The aims of Geo-Seas are aligned with European directives and recent large-scale framework • to include coastal behavioural units in more detail programmes on global and European scales, such (cliffy coasts, sand dunes, estuaries etc..) and as GEOSS and GMES, EMODNET and INSPIRE. incorporate temporal changes Figure 1. Sea-bed sediment substrate map of the EMODNET Geo-Seas is expanding the existing SeaDataNet • to compile maps of geomorphological features geology study area. marine and ocean data management infrastructure to handle marine geological and geophysical data, • include processes related to geological data, data products and services, creating a joint especially relevant to mobile sediments on the infrastructure covering both oceanographic and sea floor and coastal units, and include time marine geoscientific data. series (4D, climate change) Project website: www.geo-seas.eu • allow more dynamic updating of map layers 5.1.3 Other EC-funded projects • include thematic maps for more users - i.e. aggregate industry, renewable energy industry, Members of the MGEG participate in a range of fisheries, defence, etc. EC-funded projects. These include:

Figure 2. The EMODNET-Geology sea-bed geology layer in the • BLAST - Bringing Land and Sea Together. As the next phase of the project is expected to OneGeology-Europe information portal. expand into the regional seas not presently included BGS (UK). [www.blast-project.eu] in the EMODNET-Geology project such as The shape of our business page 74 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

• PERGAMON. IGME (Spain), GEUS (Denmark), 5.2.2 North African Petroleum Geological Atlas 5.4 Meetings and presentations by the BGR (Germany), [www.cost-pergamon.eu/index. (NAPGA) MGEG Chair/Secretary html] Members of the Southern Permian Basin Atlas EuroGeoSurveys, 26th National Delegates Forum, • FINMARINET. GTK (Finland). [http://en.gtk.fi/ Project, led by TNO, are currently working on a Brussels February 28th - Presentation; Stevenson: research2/program/seafloor/finmarinet.html] new Atlas project, the North African Petroleum MGEG Annual Report 2010. Geological Atlas (NAPGA). The plans to raise funds • INFLOW. GTK (Finland), VSEGEI (Russia), GEUS from the hydrocarbons industry, including national Marine Geology Expert Group article by Henry (Denmark) [www.bonusportal.org] oil companies, have been delayed by the political Vallius and Alan Stevenson was published in the situation in many of the North African countries ‘Message from the Expert Groups’ section of the • EMODNET-Hydrography. LNEG (Portugal), GSI that the Atlas would include. When conditions allow EuroGeoSurveys Newsletter (Ireland). [www.emodnet-hydrography.eu] the project to be re-initiated, it is hoped that NAPGA will provide easy and inexpensive access Henry Vallius (GTK) and Alan Stevenson (BGS) • WRECK Protect. GEUS (Denmark). to the accumulated knowledge held by several attended a workshop on Seabed Mapping [http://wreckprotect.eu/home] organisations on the basins of the area and to help ‘Knowledge for a better understanding and use gain a better understanding of the geology of North of the marine resources: the case for mapping 5.2 Industry/survey partnerships Africa. The aim is to publish a comprehensive and the seafloor’ at the European Parliament on systematic overview of the results of over 7th February. The meeting was organised by 5.2.1 NAG-TEC (Tectonic Development of the 100 years of petroleum exploration and research MEP Maria do Céu Patrão Neves, member of the North-east Atlantic) in the North African region, including Morocco, Committee on Fisheries and was attended by EU Algeria, Tunisia, Libya and Egypt, in both paper and Commissioner for Fisheries and Maritime Affairs EGS members from Denmark (Project Co-ordinator), digital (GIS) format. Maria Damanaki. Henry Vallius spoke to support the UK, Norway, Germany, the Netherlands, the Commissioner’s aim to survey the entire Iceland and Ireland in collaboration with Jarðfeingi 5.3 Annual meeting 2011 sea-floor of Europe by 2020 and to assure her that (formed by the merger of the Faroese Geological the European geological surveys would do what Survey and the Petroleum Administration in 2005) The annual meeting of the MGEG was held in Tallin, they could to support this objective. A report of the have started to produce a geological Atlas and GIS Estonia on November 24th - 25th 2011, following an workshop can be found at: [www.patraoneves.eu/ of the North-East Atlantic conjugate margins. EMODNET-Geology project meeting. news_v.asp?id=3216&site=10] The project is co-funded by industry and survey The meeting was hosted by colleagues from the partners. [http://nagtec.org/NAGTEC] Geological Survey of Estonia, gratefully supported 5.5 National Marine Geology Programmes by Tarmo All of the Ministry of the Environment (KESKKONNAMINISTEERIUM), at the Ministry’s Each of the MGEG members continue to pursue a offices at Narva mnt 7a, Tallinn. The meeting was wide range of activities. Some of these are attended by 27 members from 16 countries. highlighted in the following section. The shape of our business page 75 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

A more comprehensive list of MGEG partners’ magnetic susceptibility techniques as well as AAS (Gulf of Finland, NW Estonia) and the Neugrund activities is included in the minutes and reports of for analysis of the chemical composition of cores. impact structure area, and have participated in the MGEG annual meeting, which are available the investigation of the impact of the gas pipeline from the group’s Secretary ([email protected]). • Denmark (Geological Survey of Denmark (Nord Stream) in the Gulf of Finland. Work and Greenland) - GEUS activities in 2011 have continued on the coastal monitoring sub- • Belgium (Royal Belgian Institute of Natural included a wide range of national and international programme that was established in 1994 for Sciences - Management Unit of the North projects in Danish and Greenland waters focused observing, measuring and predicting possible Sea Mathematical Models) - RBINS/MUMM on climate change, habitat mapping and advisory environmental changes in the Estonian coastline. is responsible for the monitoring of all human work in relation to offshore wind farms and activities at sea with the main ‘marine geology’ aggregates. In addition GEUS launched a new • Finland (Geologian tutkimuskeskus - activities relating to: (1) sand and gravel marine seismic database. Research projects Geological Survey of Finland) - The activities extraction; (2) windfarms; and (3) dredging and include SEDIMICE (linking sediments with of the Marine Geology Group of GTK during 2011 disposal of dredged material. A Special Issue on ice-sheet response and glacier retreat in were dominated by commissioned and co- Marine Sand and Gravel has been published. Greenland); CLIMICE, which is a project under operative basis work/surveys and EU funded MUMM is involved in Belgian Science Policy the Marie Curie Action programme, which aims projects (e.g. BONUS INFLOW). Marine Research projects addressing such as the to reconstruct late Holocene changes in sea ice geological activities were coordinated through quantification of erosion and sedimentation and variability and regional sea surface temperatures two programs, the Seafloor Mapping Program tracing natural and anthropogenically induced (SST) in the Labrador Sea; Pergamon (Permafrost and Marine Geology and Global Change research sediment dynamics. MUMM is responsible for and Gas hydrate related methane release in the program. New data were collected as part of the the implementation of the Marine Strategy Arctic and impact on climate change) and FINMARINET project in the Gulf of Finland, the Framework Directive in Belgian waters related to Permagas to address central questions related to Archipelago Sea and in the Bothnian Sea. GTK quantification of human pressures and mapping the impact of ongoing global climate change on participated in the The Finnish Inventory physical damage to the sea floor. permafrost and gas hydrates in and around Programme for the Underwater Marine Greenland. Surveys have taken place to acquire Environment (VELMU) to study the diversity of • Croatia (Hrvatski geološki institut - Croatian data for the Continental Shelf Project of the underwater marine biotopes and species. A new Geological Survey) - The Marine Geology Kingdom of Denmark. Habitat mapping has been vessel, the Gridi was delivered in November Programme of the Croatian Geological Survey undertaken in the Inner Danish Waters for the 2011. Airborne laser scanning was tested in the (HGI) consists of 10 geologists involved in Nature Agency. GEUS also participate in a Kvargen Archipelago. GTK staff are participating sedimentology, palynology, mineralogy and number of EC-funded projects (see above). in the scheduled IODP expedition to investigate tectonic studies. The survey works closely with the paleoenvironmental evolution of the Baltic the Croatian Hydrographic Institute (HHI) who • Estonia (Eesti Geoloogiakeskus - Geological through the last glacial cycle. The annual GeoHab have two research vessels, the Hidra and the Survey of Estonia) - GSE have participated in Conference was hosted at the GTK office in Palagruža. The HGI laboratories are equipped research into the geology around the possible Espoo from May 3rd-5th 2011, attended by more with XRD mineralogy, laser granulometry and nuclear power plant area on Suur-Pakri Island than 130 scientists. The shape of our business page 76 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

• France (Bureau de recherches géologiques (Deutsche Rohstoffagentur: German Mineral the Petroleum Affairs Division of Ireland and the et minières) - The two permanent marine Resources Agency) was founded, which is General Bathymetric Chart of the Oceans geologists at BRGM have had extensive Germany’s central information and consulting (GEBCO). Combining offshore and onshore collaboration with other national institutes platform for mineral and energy resources. In information forms the basis for seamless (e.g. Ifremer, SHOM, CNRS-INSU, and MNHN) 2011, BGR were involved in projects such as geological interpretations and ‘The Real Map of and more than 15 Universities. The Plateau NEMESYS (off New Zealand), MIRROR (off Ireland’ on land and sea. Continental Project is the most important project Morocco), INDEX 2011 (Indian Ocean) and aimed at improving geological knowledge of the CASE13 (Leptev/East Siberian Sea). The • Italy (Institituto Superiore per la Protezione continental shelf and the onshore-offshore Geoscientific Potential of the German North Sea e la Ricerca Ambientale: ISPRA) - The Italian transition. Two sub-projects are mapping the (GPDN) project continued: the exploration and geological mapping project (CARG) has published geology of the Marseille and Vendée areas and a development of the German North Sea (EEZ) 6 maps at 1:250 000 scale covering the entire third is mapping other areas of interest such as aiming to a sustainable development of the North Adriatic Sea. All maps are available on-line at: the Bay of Seine-Caux in the Channel, Corsica, Sea maritime economic and natural area - a joint [www.isprambiente.gov.it/Media/carg/index.html]. French Antilles, and the Pyrenees-Bay of Biscay. project of BGR together with LBEG (State The Marine Geology section of ISPRA has The National Marine Geology Database (BGM/ Authority for Mining, Energy and Geology), and contributed to the EUSeaMap project in the BSS-Mer) has been changed to allow on-line BSH (Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Tyrrenhian Sea (part of the EMODNET project). requests through the BRGM ‘Infoterre’ portal. Agency) with additional partners from industry, A number of teaching modules have been Other projects include producing maps for research institutes, and universities. developed to raise awareness of the role of offshore windfarm sites; providing marine marine geology in environmental defence and geological data for a 3D model used for • Ireland (Geological Survey of Ireland) - land management. The GeoHab 2013 Conference geothermal resources and development of The INFOMAR programme is a joint venture will be hosted in Rome, which will help develop Marine Strategy Framework descriptors. between the Geological Survey of Ireland and the links between Italian scientists involved in habitat Marine Institute and is the successor to the Irish mapping. National Seabed Survey (INSS). Covering some • Germany (Bundesanstalt für 125,000 km² of Ireland’s most productive and • Lithuania (Nature Research Centre, Institute Geowissenschaften und Rohstoffe (BGR) commercially valuable inshore waters, INFOMAR of Geology and Geography) - As the Although - Federal Institute for Geosciences and is producing integrated mapping products not official members of EuroGeoSurveys, the Natural Resources) - BGR’s marine activities covering the physical, chemical and biological NRC-IGG have a long history of collaboration are concentrated in the Marine Resource features of the seabed. [www.infomar.ie]. with the MGEG and participate in EMODNET and Exploration, Resource Geology, Polar Geology, The value of such integrated mapping projects is Geo-Seas. In 2011, the institute has studied the and Economic Geology of Energy Resources demonstrated by maps of the seabed of Irish south-eastern Baltic Sea and Curonian Lagoon in sub-departments, which together form with other waters that combine shaded relief images of the context of climate change and anthropogenic units the Energy Resources, Mineral Resources bathymetric data collected by the INSS and impact to sedimentation, recent morphogenetic Department. In October 2010, DERA INFOMAR projects with data collected under processes, and geodynamics. Pollution and The shape of our business page 77 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

environmental conditions of the Klaipėda Sea rise. Core and geophysical data are being entered the Pomeranian Bay). A major publication port waters have been monitored and monitoring in the DINO data portal [www.dinoloket.nl]. ‘Geochemistry of Baltic Sea Surface sediments’ of the coastal zone for beach nourishment has was published in 2011. Poland became the 18th been carried out. International collaboration • Norway (Norges Geologiske Undersøkelse member of the European Consortium for Ocean includes the COPAF project studying coastal - Geological Survey of Norway) - NGU and Research Drilling (ECORD), the European partner change in the southern Baltic Sea. its partners, especially the Institute of Marine of the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP). Research (IMR) and the Norwegian Hydrographic PGI marine geology staff will provide the • Netherlands (Geological Survey of the Service (SKSK) have continued to work for program national office. Netherlands) - In 2011, the shallow-subsurface increased activity in the MAREANO programme, coastal and marine expertise of TNO was an integrated, large-scale programme for shelf • Portugal (Laboratório Nacional de Energia embedded in the Geomodelling Department part and slope investigations around Lofoten and in e Geologia) - A wide range of activities and of the Geological Survey of the Netherlands. the southern Barents Sea [www.mareano.no]. research have been developed during 2011 as TNO and Deltares, which employs many people The programme, which started in 2005, includes part the LNEG’s main research programme from the former Coastal and Marine Group, have multibeam bathymetric mapping and sampling of INGMAR - Investigação em Geologia Marinha. established extensive collaboration, with the seafloor to map geology, biology/habitats and The total number of projects in execution during TNO-GSN being the contact group for the environment. In 2011 the programme was 2011 is 30, 14 of which funded by the National EuroGeoSurveys. TNO-GSN focuses on (applied) given extra financing to advance its activities in Science Foundation (FCT): FREEZE, SCARPS, mapping and data, developing state-of-the-art Nordland VI and to expand its activities to the SWIMGLO, HOLOCLIMA, MELT KP-5, INTER- methods with colleagues from deep-subsurface eastern Norwegian sector along the new border TRACE, CALIBERIA, MONA, CLIMHOL, geology; Deltares focuses on high-end consulting, between Russia and Norway. Other work DEEPFORAMS, TAGUSDELTA, PANOCEAN, using data and expertise provided by TNO-GSN. includes contributions to the International Centre LUSOMARBOL. Two funded by FCT through the The primary activities have been 3D-seismic for Geohazards (ICG); Safe Operations of Subsea ESF EUROCORES programmes EUROMARC & mapping of the North Sea bed, the development Systems (SOSS); the investigation of sandwaves TOPO-EUROPE (AMOCINT; TOPOMED), of an aggregate-resource portal for sand and on the continental slope in the western Barents two European FP7 Project (GEOSEAS, gravel, analysis of Wadden Sea sediment Sea; and investigations into storage behaviour for EMODNET Hydrography), one EU Portugal- dynamics, geo-archeology of the extraction pit the International Carbon Capture and Storage Galiza Cooperation (NATURA MINO-MINHO). for the Rotterdam harbour extension. Research Centre The group published 31 papers in international journals in the ISI’ list and formed 2 new PhD Studies on coastal behavior have been conducted • Poland (Państwowy Instytut Geologiczny and 3 masters. in collaboration with Deltares, Leiden University - Polish Geological Institute) - The main and Utrecht University, with an emphasis on activities of the PGI’s Marine Geology team are storm-surge and tsunami risk assessment, on the a) activity in the coastal zone b) documentation of link between shoreface and barrier coast, and on aggregate resources (sand for beach nourishment) coastal progradation in times of rapid sea-level and c) mapping the seabed (detailed mapping of The shape of our business page 78 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

• Russia (A.P.Karpinsky Russian Geological are located in different geological contexts: in sediments; dioxin problems in the Baltic region; Research Institute) - The main activities of the Bay of Biscay, Gulf of Cadiz, Alboran Sea, the role of black carbon (soot particles) in Baltic the Department of Marine and Environmental Canary Islands and Antarctica. Research on Sea sediments; environmental quality and status Geology of A.P.Karpinsky Russian Geological these topics has been undertaken through of marine sediments. Commissioned projects Research Institute (VSEGEI) have been sea-bed different marine projects funded by the IGME, have investigated the dredging/dumping activities geological mapping; scientific projects; the National Scientific Research, Development in Karlshamn and Åhus harbours and windfarm environmental marine geology; searching for and Technologic Innovation Programme of the sites in Hanö Bay. marine mineral resources and coastal process Ministry of Science and Innovation and European studies. In 2011, VSEGEI has undertaken a programmes and actions. Work continued on the • United Kingdom (British Geological Survey) complex study “State Monitoring of Geological CONTOURIBER project to study the contourite - The BGS Marine Geology team continued to Environment of the White Sea, the Barents Sea depositional systems generated by the develop the MAREMAP (Marine Environmental and the Baltic Sea and their coastal zone” and Mediterranean water masses along the continental Mapping) Programme in partnership with the ‘Study of floating peat islands of the Narva slope of Iberia. A new activity is the study of National Oceanography Centre (NOC), Scottish Reservoir and development of the recommendation marine mineral deposits, carried out so far on the Association for Marine Science (SAMS) plus for the prevention of the environmental risk”. Galicia Margin, Gulf of Cadiz, Canary Islands and universities and other public marine organisations Compilation of sea-bed sediment maps of the Antarctica. The objectives are to map these such as the Maritime and Coastguard Agency. southern Tatarsky Strait has begun - the series deposits and study the genetic model, and to The aim is to provide a multidisciplinary approach also includes pre-Quaternary, Quaternary, create a database of mineral deposits. to improve understanding of the seabed, shallow mineral resources and oil prognosis maps. geology, habitats and heritage. A number of An investigation into the submarine terraces of • Sweden (Sveriges geologiska undersökning surveys using the NERC research vessel the the eastern Gulf of Finland as indicators of the - Swedish Geological Survey) - The Swedish James Cook and the BGS nearshore survey, the sea level changes during the Late Pleistocene - Marine Geological Mapping Programme has White Ribbon have taken place during the year. Holocene was completed. continued along the Blekinge Coast in northern BGS contributed to three major reports in the Hanö Bay and in the southern Kalmar Sound Humber, East Coast of England and the English • Spain (Instituto Geológico y Minero de between the Swedish mainland and the Öland Channel funded by the Aggregate Levy España) - The activities of the Marine Geology Island. The Programme was extended in 2011 Sustainability Fund. BGS are co-ordinating the Group have been focused on a) geological with the middle part of Kalmar Sound. The aim EC-funded EMODNET-Geology and Geo-Seas mapping and marine databases (samples, of the programme is to produce a map for projects and are also active in the NAG-TEC seismic profiles and maps); b) sedimentary presentation at the scale 1:100 000; showing the project, a collaboration between several processes and depositional systems; c) fluid distribution of the sea-bed sediments and the European geological surveys and the escape features (mud volcanoes, pockmarks, stratigraphy of the sea-bed area all the way from hydrocarbon industry. etc); d) gas hydrates, e) paleoceanography and the shoreline of the mainland to about 2 km off global change, f) geodynamic evolution and the base-line. Research projects have included tectonics and g) mineral deposits. These studies the detection of fibres discharged from pulp-mills The shape of our business page 79 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

6. Results and impacts (NGU) joined MODEG in 2010. MODEG’s mission 7. Future perspectives is to provide the Commission with the scientific, 6.1 Emodnet technical and operational expertise it needs to As stated above, the EMODNET-Geology Project ensure that the European Marine Observation and has delivered not only the final GIS data layers, but At the European strategic level, the main results Data Network (EMODNET) best meets the needs also recommendations to the Commission for the and impacts of the MGEG partners’ work has been of its future users. This is an influential group that ‘real’ EMODNET project which will start in 2013. achieved within the EMODNET-Geology Project, will help provide direct advice to the EC on their There will, however, be an interim period between which has seen excellent co-operation between requirements for geological information and 2011 and 2013 when some new actions will take some of the MGEG surveys. This is now a knowledge. place. The next phase of the project is expected to well-established network that has all the tools for expand into the regional seas not presently future work in European marine spatial planning and 6.3 Geo-Seas included in the EMODNET lots, which for the integrated maritime policy of the European Union. EMODNET-Geology project would mean such Geo-Seas is now in its final year. The project is areas as the Atlantic and Mediterranean seas. The acceptance of the final EMODNET-Geology focused on supporting Europe’s capacity to locate The future work is also likely to focus on geological Project report in July 2011 puts the geological and access geological and geophysical datasets parameters and features that are not dealt with in surveys in a good position to continue to deliver from multiple data centres in common formats, to the ur-EMODNET lots. the geological component of EMODNET. The final Europe-wide standards and with the minimum of meeting of the EMODNET Project Co-ordinators effort. The project is compatible with the INSPIRE Expansion of the EMODNET into areas not and the MODEG (see below) will take place in Directive to create a European spatial information presently included in the project will involve February 2012, following which the call for proposals infrastructure that delivers integrated spatial geological surveys from those areas, which the for the full EMODNET will be issued later in the information to users. expert group will promote through the final report year. The February meeting will possibly include a of the EMODNET-Geology project and through the demonstration of the EMODNET portals to Maria 6.4 Other European and National Committee MODEG of DG MARE of the European Commission. Damanaki, the European Commissioner for membership Maritime Affairs and Fisheries. Henry Vallius represents Finland on the European 6.2 MODEG Commission DG MARE Member State Expert Group on Integrated Marine Policy (subgroup on Three staff from the MGEG currently serve on the Marine Knowledge). European Commission’s (DG MARE) Marine Observation and Data Expert Group (MODEG) as Alan Stevenson is Secretary/Treasurer of the mandated by EuroGeoSurveys. Henry Vallius Marine Studies Group of the Geological Society of (GTK) and Robert Gatliff (BGS) are serving their London. second term on MODEG, while Terje Thorsnes The shape of our business page 80 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

Superficial Deposits (TF SD) emphasis on the structure and physical condition of • to design and develop a database which Expert Group the top layer of the largely unconsolidated earth comprises the major mechanical and hydraulical surface. This task force seeks to describe the characteristics of the weathered geological 1. Executive summary lithological nature of this compartment: it is an materials, for example in the field of landscape important information source for all surface-close evolution modelling. The new Task Force on Superficial Deposits was processes which affect the storage, filter, release and proposed to the EGS National Delegates and Expert transport of material down the soil and regolith profile. Vision Group Chairs on February 28, 2011. During the In reality, soil and geology data bases are not following EGS ExCom meeting, it was then decided connected, and very often, there is a gap for which • to act as a connecting link between soil and to renew the EGS Soils Expert Group as a Task information is completely lacking. Further details are geology mappers. Force on Superficial Deposits (TF SD). The task force contained in the draft Terms of Reference (ToF). was also discussed during the 31st EGS General • to make geology knowledge and data available to Meeting Sept. 2011. In January 2012, a terms of Besides the work on a parent material data base the soil domain reference was drafted by BGR, and communicated for Europe, this task force will also follow-up soil to the members of this task force (update Febr. 2012). research and soil use policy in Europe. This is • to attempt to filling an important data gap for the necessary in order to develop its aims and mission below-ground modelling of the unsaturated zone The kick-off workshop will take place in the first in close connection with the stakeholders and users week of June 2012. of the task force’s results (see also Ch. 4 The 3. Scope and focus European Dimension). The Task Force still requires an official kick-off. The primary focus of this task force is to develop a This will happen through an opening workshop, 1.5 2. Mission and vision data base for superficial deposits in Europe. days, between 6 and 8 June 2012, Hannover, Germany. In preparation, the terms of reference Mission (see also Terms of Reference) 4. The european dimension will be further developed. In addition, the inventory of data sets based on One-Geology will be carried • to explore, compile and integrate existing Information and data about the surface-close further. A tight link with the soil mapping community experiences and datasets on the distribution, parent material (for soil development) is important (European Soil Bureau Network) will be sought. properties and weathering behaviour of exposed for many status and trend assessments of the rocks and superficial deposits. terrestrial environment. For example, depending 1.1 Rationale • to semantically and spatially harmonise existing on the soil threat, various surface-lithology- parent material information as far as possible, dependent soil parameters are mentioned in Annex With the decision to continue the work on soils and integrate it towards a European-wide new I of the draft soil directive (COM(2006) 232): soil through a task force, EGS attempts to re-focus its geological data layer: a soil parent material map texture, clay content, soil density, hydraulic geoscientific capacity on soils, with less emphasis on for Europe . properties. The delineation of priority areas for soil the political process of soil protection, and increased protection, and the monitoring of the condition of The shape of our business page 81 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

degraded and sensitive soils require such data in Planning and activities 2012 an improved resolution. This information must be made available as accurately as possible. Development of Terms of Reference > draft: Jan. 2012 - update Febr. 2012 Other links between the Superficial Deposits’ Task Force and European policy are quite in parallel to Kick-off workshop > 1.5 days, between 6 and 8 June the Geochemistry expert group (common agricultural 2012, Hannover, Germany policy, renewable energies directive, nitrate directive, cohesion policy). Issues reach as far as the Cooperation with Geochemistry EG (evalutations rehabilitation of industrial sites including mine GEMAS) > ongoing deposits and outwash. In particular, close cooperation will be developed with European soil data centres, in particular the European Topic Centre on Water (ETC/W) and the European Soil Data Centre. Inside EGS, there is a great opportunity and need for cooperation through the EGDI-Scope proposal.

5. Activity report

Activities 2011

5.1.1 EMODNET-Geology

2011 was devoted to the formal EGS initiation process.

Development of a concept note on soil research needs from the perspective of geologists (context: EU Horizon 2020 Programme) > Dez. 2011 This request is still pending. The shape of our business page 82 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

EGS 2011 Statistics been a steady decline, most likely due to the economic downturn in Europe, which continues In this section you will find some interesting despite a small recovery of numbers in 2010. statistical information on EuroGeoSurveys’ For 2011, the total staff numbers of each member member organisations, such as staff numbers and survey can be seen in Chart 2. The number of budget data, showing past trends as well as scientific staff within each survey is also shown. specific details from 2011.

Staffing

EuroGeoSurveys represented a combined total of over 15,000 staff in 2011. Chart 1 shows the fluctuations of staff numbers within our members over the past 10 years.

Chart 1 Total combined staff of all EGS Member organisations over the last 10 years. Data is not always available at the time of collection Chart 2 Total staff for each EGS Member (in red), showing so the figures may be slightly higher than indicated. the proportion of permanent graduate researchers, scientists and engineers (in blue).

* Ukraine total staff = 7000 (4000 of which are graduate researchers, In the early stages of the 2000s, our membership scientists and engineers) consisted of a steady number of staff at around ** Bulgaria data unavailable at time of print 9000 people. The large increase in numbers between 2005 and 2006 can be attributed to the incorporation of Ukraine’s State Geological Survey and the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (Department of Geosciences) as members. Since then there has The shape of our business page 83 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

Budgets / Funding

In 2011, the combined budgets of EGS Members totalled over €800 million. As seen in Chart 3, a peak of over €1 billion was reached in 2009 but there followed a significant decrease to below 2006 levels that could most likely be attributed to recent public spending cuts throughout Europe.

Chart 3 Total combined budgets of all EGS Member organisations over the last 10 years. Data is not always available at the time of collection so the figures may be slightly higher than indicated. Chart 4 Breakdown of funding sources for each EGS Member. Bulgaria and Ireland's data was not available.

The national geological surveys throughout Europe receive funding from a number of different sources, for example from government funding or EU research funding. A breakdown of funding sources for each EGS Member in 2011 can be seen in Chart 4. On one end of the scale, Cyprus and Malta rely wholly on governmental funding for their operations whereas Albania, Estonia and Iceland are more dependent on private business as a source of income. The shape of our business page 84 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

Geological Activities Survey Governance

Geological expertise can be called upon to address The national geological surveys that make up EGS a broad range of topics, from the more common are all public bodies that are under the supervision geological issues like geohazards to less obvious of various government ministries. The majority areas such as how to deal with radioactive waste or of geological surveys are under the jurisdiction of even tourism. Chart 5 shows the variety of activities either the Ministry of Environment or the Ministry of that EGS members are involved in. Research, Science & Technology, as seen in Chart 6. Chart 6 Distribution of EGS members under the supervision of various government ministries.

Chart 5 Number of EGS members involved in various geological activities in 2011. Bulgaria and Germany's data was not available. page 85 I EGS 2011 Annual Report page 86 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

Integrating expertise

• Civil Protection Agencies who use ‘preparedness’ The project is divided into 10 Work packages lead information by European Geological Surveys data providers and other stakeholders with specific competence in • National geological surveys and geoscience the various field . Introduction institutes who are obliged to collect geohazard data for public benefit WP 1 Project Management PanGeo is a service proposed in response to FP7 GMES Downstream Call 3 (released July WP 2 Local Authority Feedback • Policy-makers concerned with assessing and 2009). The objective of PanGeo is to enable free WP 3 Service Design & Validation comparing European geological risk, much as the and open access to geohazard information in Urban Atlas data is used to compare the WP 4 Service Access support of GMES. This is being achieved by the landcover/use status of European towns WP 5 Processing Agreements production of a Geohazard Data Layer supported by a Geohazard Description for 52 of the largest WP 6 Component Data Provision • Commercial business able to further exploit towns listed in the GMES Land Theme’s Urban WP 7 Geological Survey Output PanGeo products, e.g. property conveyancing, Atlas, and involves all 27 countries of the EU. environmental reporting WP 8 Identify & Make Accessible Relevant Upon user enquiry, a PanGeo web-portal will Datasets automatically integrate the geohazard data with • The public: Empowers citizens with information WP 9 Promotion & Dissemination the Urban Atlas to highlight the polygons about the geohazards in their area. WP 10 Sustainability Analysis influenced. The datasets will be made discoverable, accessible and useable via a distributed web-map Products will be made by integrating: a) interpreted system as built and demonstrated by OneGeology Description InSAR terrain-motion data (derived from new Europe [www.onegeology-europe.eu]. processing and existing products made in the ESA For each PanGeo town, areas of ground instability GMES project Terrafirma), b) geological PanGeo is aiming to take a step in developing the will be indicated by attributed vector polygons held information, and c) the landcover and landuse data ‘missing geological link’ for GMES by initiating a within the ‘Ground Stability Layer’ product. contained within the Urban Atlas. The integration pan-European geological service which will derive The polygon will be supported by a detailed and interpretation, , will be made by the and standardise geohazard information across an ‘Geohazard Description’ document that provides a corresponding national Geological Survey for the initial subset of the Urban Atlas towns across comprehensive interpretation for the geohazard towns concerned. PanGeo information will Europe. concerned. represent hazard and exposure components that contribute towards any future analysis of risk. The PanGeo service is aimed at six key users groups: Users of the PanGeo portal will be able to navigate PanGeo adds significantvalue to the Urban Atlas to the town of interest and upon clicking on a data produced as part of the GMES Land Theme’s • Local Authority planners and regulators who are Ground Stability Polygon the Geohazard Summary Geoland2 project. concerned with managing development risk information associated with that polygon will be presented. The Ground Stability Layer and Urban Integrating expertise page 87 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

Atlas information will be presented in the portal in The size of the area for which PanGeo data will be 1 Towns to be processed such a way that users can make informed decisions produced is largely down to the geological survey about which land use classes in their towns are responsible. The minimum area covered by the Count Country Town 1 Town 2 affected by ground stability issues. All data is fully Ground Stability Layer is defined by the extent of 1 Austria Salzburg Vienna downloadable for use and further integration within the PSI data. The maximum possible area covered 2 Belgium Brussels Liege a user’s own geographic information system. by the Ground Stability Layer is defined by the 3 Bulgaria Sofia Varna coverage of the Urban Atlas data for the town in 4 Cyprus Lefkosia N/A The Ground Stability Layer will attempt to map all question. It is possible that the actual area covered 5 Czech Republic Prague Ostrava the areas of a town affected byground instability, by the Ground Stability layer will fall somewhere 6 Denmark Copenhagen Aalborg between the extent of the PSI and the Urban Atlas. which can be caused by a number of natural and 7 Estonia Tallinn Tartu anthropogenic processes or phenomena, e.g. If so the interpreter should ensure that the area 8 Finland Helsinki Turku compressible ground, shrink-swell clays, ground covered conforms to a logical administration 9 France Lyon Toulouse dissolution, collapsible ground, landslides, soil boundaries; this will ensure the usefulness of the creep, tectonic movements, underground product to the local authorities. 10 Germany Berlin Hannover construction works, fluid extraction or injection, etc. 11 Greece Athens Larissa The interpretation of each Ground Stability polygon 12 Hungary Budapest Miskolc The areas of mapped ground instability can fall into will be assigned a measure of confidence within the 13 Ireland Cork Dublin two categories: polygon attributes and Geohazard Summary. 14 Italy Palermo Rome This measure of confidence will be on a simple 15 Latvia Riga Liepaja 1. Observed motion includes all types of direct or four-level scale of Low, Medium, High or External 16 Lithuania Vilnius Kaunas indirect observation/measurement of ground depending on the number of datasets used in the 17 Luxembourg Luxembourg N/A motion, e.g. satellite InSAR-based. interpretation and the confidence that the geologist 18 Malta Valetta Gozo feels is appropriate. 2. Potential motion includes all areas that the 19 Netherlands Amsterdam Rotterdam geologists, using the available geological and 20 Poland Warsaw Nowy Sacz auxiliary data, have identified as having the 21 Portugal Lisbon Faro potential for ground motion. 22 Romania Bucurest Cluj-Napoca 23 Slovakia Kosice Presov Observed and potential motion are clearly 24 Slovenia Ljubljana Maribor distinguished by the Ground Stability Layer attributes. 25 Spain Zaragoza Murcia 26 Sweden Stockholm Göteborg There is no minimum mapping unit for PanGeo, 27 UK Stoke London however the PanGeo mapping scale aims to be 1:10 000 - the same as the Urban Atlas. Table 1: Town included in PanGeo. Two towns in each country except Luxembourg and Cyprus as these two countries each only have one Urban Atlas town (population > 100,000) Integrating expertise page 88 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

Ground Stability Layer attributes are complaint • Standards: the layers shall be implemented with the Natural Risk Zones data specification of according to OGC standard. This will allow the INSPIRE. For each PanGeo town a Geohazard PanGeo layers to be used in any OGC WMS Description document is written by the geological compliant software, such as several GIS tools, survey. The Geohazard Description contains the and portals. geological interpretation for each Ground Stability Layer polygon. Clicking on the polygon in the portal • INSPIRE: The INSPIRE view service is technically displays the corresponding section of the implemented by an OGC WMS 1.3, this Geohazard Description, thereby providing the user specification requires the layers to be implemented with the interpretation of why ground instability has accordingly. Other INSPIRE rules (common data occurred in that area. The Geohazard Description model, INSPIRE tags, multilingualism) that are is downloadable as a standalone document. not yet implemented by standard OGC WMS software won’t be required this year. Nevertheless, Options in the portal allow the Ground Stability a solution is proposed for the partners willing to Layer to be automatically integrated with the implement the INSPIRE approach this year. Urban Atlas data. Since the Urban Atlas gives information on land cover types (exposure) and the • OneGeology-Europe: the infrastructure and • The background layer , in this case ’Open Street Ground Stability Layer provides information on Service-Oriented Architecture implemented by Map’ hazards the user, with the addition of vulnerability the project OneGeology-Europe (1G-E) shall be data, could begin to make more informed and reused. The specification described here is very • The Urban Atlas layer systematic decisions on risk. similar to the one applied in the 1G-E project. • The Onegeology-Europe (1M:M) geological map, The Geohazard Description will include an The datasets will be compiled by the geological hidden (a simple click will allow the user to introductory section describing the geology of the surveys, and hosted locally on their own servers. display it) PanGeo town. IThe Geohazard Description will be a This is the basis of a distributed architecture: multilingual document; typically it will be available the PanGeo project is not compiling a central • Markers on the map, representing the 52 towns. in the local language and English. database. A Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) Different colours of markers help the user to know is a network of web services, allowing each partner if the dataset is already implemented, or not. The architecture implemented for the PanGeo project to implement and host their own web services is based on the infrastructure of the OneGeology- delivering their own data. The PanGeo portal then - A click on a marker opens a window that Europe project. Main requirements are to follow consumes those web services. allows the user to focus on the town and load existing standards (OGC web services) and to be the corresponding layer, or to open the compliant to INSPIRE (view and download The PanGeo map viewer always presents: geohazard summary (if it exists as a services). Three main requirements are handled: standalone document). Integrating expertise page 89 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

The PanGeo portal initially displays the markers for nanosilica in paper coating, bioleaching of mining each city handled by the project, together with the waste and metal recovery from AMD - by boundaries of the cities according to Urban Atlas. end-users and It is then possible to zoom in to a city, either by clicking on the marker, or by using the “go to” • Assessment of the impact of the products and functionality which also lists the available cities. Nano-particle products from new mineral production methods developed. After evaluation Then, the detailed Urban Atlas map is displayed, resources in Europe - [http://promine.gtk.fi] and eventual go/no go decisions, beyond the three with the PanGeo polygons (when they are already milestones, emphasis will be on the exploitation implemented). Executive summary and documentation of the results. The overall progress of the ProMine project was 72% and Main options like “zoom in, zoom out, print, export • Total budget: € 17.39 million the project is on schedule. Major achievements in to view in Google Earth”, allow the user to view the • EU contribution € 11 million the present six months period are: map and save it (export, print). A “search” tab • Project duration: 2009 - 2013 presents some others dataset coming from other • Coordinator: Geological Survey of Finland • The prediction methods have been discussed projects: OneGeology-Europe, ProMines, Emodnet. • Sponsor: European Commission FP7-NMP-2008- and analyzed in a special international workshop LARGE-2 “ProMine - Mineral Resources Potential Map” The portal is available in 18 languages (translations • Number of persons/Members involved: organized by Nancy University in 12-14 March done for the OneGeology-Europe project). 28 partners from 11 European countries 2012 in Nancy and the first Pan-European Global statistics for the PanGeo service will be 161 person-years mineral resource potential maps have been provided on the Portal. These statistics will present produced. Results are partly uploaded on the information on the types of geohazards across all In the period between the 30th to 36 months ProMine portal. 52 towns, the proportion of all PanGeo coverage ProMine entered the mature phase after the go/no affected by geohazards. go decisions has been made and significant • The first comprehensive European achievements are emerging. This six month period Anthropogenic Database featuring the most is marked by a concentrating effort to steer the significant mining waste repositories has been development towards three major milestones compiled and a tentative assessment of their placed at month 40. The three milestones are: strategic element content has been calculated.

• Regional 3D presentation of all mineral belts and • The first 4D modeling of a mining district integration of 2D and 3D predictivity results in (Skellefteå Mining District, Sweden) has been mineral potential maps and in the ProMine portal; finalized.

• Testing of six new products - namely rhenium, • Design of the pilots has been completed and schwertmannite, nanosilica for special concrete, construction of the pilots of the six new products Integrating expertise page 90 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

started. One of them, biological extraction of ThermoMap is in a position to contribute information metals from acid mine waters (AMD) has already for this specific field of shallow geothermal energy. awaken Europe-wide interest. The research into the superficial geothermal potential for this project is divided into two parts: • A successful one day Mineral Marketplace was Description of the project objectives organized in Wroclaw on the 25 April 2012 to The first part is the appraisal within 14 Test Areas disseminate the ProMine results, and will be The key objective of the ThermoMap project is to within the nine different partner countries for the repeated and expanded during the Final ProMine provide an adequate, area-covering estimation of estimation on a large scale level subdivided into Conference to be held in 2013. the superficial geothermal potential of the nine three depth layers up to 10 meters. countries which are involved in this project (Austria, ProMine continued to be in focus of interest of the Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, The second part is the estimation of the superficial European Commission and the European mining Iceland, Romania and United Kingdom) on a large geothermal potential for the whole partner country activities. It has influenced planning of future to medium scale. To achieve this objective illustrated by means of an Outline Map on a medium project activities related to/and arising from the ThermoMap will develop a strategy to combine scale level (1 : 250,000). Raw Material Initiative. already existing data sets in the partner countries for an area-wide visualisation of shallow geothermic In general, the project is divided into three phases: resources by soil, climatological, topographical, Firstly the data collection and data harmonisation, geological, groundwater and administrative data. secondly the set up of the model including processing, analysis and visualisation of the geodata, In principle, many research and development and finally the validation of the results (testing). activities in the field of geothermal energy have been planned respectively implemented on a national or international level. Particularly with regard to the current discussion about the share of renewable energies and the protection of resources those activities will be enhancing and the general acceptance of shallow geothermal energy will be increasing in the next years. Currently, geothermal investigations rather focus on the vertical systems and drilling techniques. However, regarding horizontal systems and technologies applicable for the upper 10 meters below surface only very rare information and data are available within the shallow geothermal energy sector. Integrating expertise page 91 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

Workflow since project start Based on the already established Catalogue for data requirements, arithmetic instructions and The ThermoMap project consists of three basic derivation rules (D3.1) the Standardisation phases shown in Figure 1. Figure 1: Graphical depiction of the three phases of the Instruction Manual (D3.2) was developed. ThermoMap-project system chain

The aim of D3.2 was to clearly reflect the standard the collected data is to be harmonised on. Furthermore, it was intended to give support in the Data collection and harmonisation way of standardisation of the country specific data • Setting up requirements for the data structure sets for the calculation of the superficial geothermal • Acquisition and harmonisation of the data (sets) Feedback

Phase I regarding the potential on a large to medium scale to all the data • Definining parameterss for data processing requirements for providing partners. Therefore, rules and definitions data (structure) for the standardisation process have been developed.

The first part describes the standardisation procedure for the data sets and the way of calculating the superficial geothermal potential for Data processing, analysis and visualisation the first 10 meters within the Test Areas on a • Conversion of the geodata medium scale level for three depth layers. Each • Georeferencing data providing partner allocated at least one test • Analysis of the geodata (sets) site for its country. In the second part of the manual Phase II • Presentation and visualisation the way of standardisation of the data sets for the whole data providing countries is described. The method of calculating the superficial geothermal potential is shown in detail on a large scale level.

Besides of the data sets’ standardisation the manual presents the consolidation of the different parameters and describes their functions for the Testing the results Feedback from • Transfer to the Test Areas (reality check) calculation of the superficial geothermal potential. users (surveys) • Validation using existing geothermal projects These types of calculation are depicted in specific • Surveys of potential user groups ‘cooking recipes’ for the scope of the Test Area as Phase III well as for the Outline Map. The reason for this Integrating expertise page 92 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

division is the fact that in regard to most of the As a conclusion it can be stated that the required parameters the data quality and quantity developing, releasing and evaluating of the is not yet adequate enough to estimate the questionnaire led to the following main findings geothermal potential comprehensively for all which are integrated into the further R&D activities partner countries and all depth layers. of ThermoMap: Europe-wide Outline Map 1: 250,000 • A high level of acceptance for renewable and sustainable energy forms: Data input from national and international projects

Figure 3: Graphical evaluation of subitem / question 2.1 of the online questionnaire Individual Test Areas within the different partners countries 'scale is not predefined) • A high level of approval and also demand for a specially developed estimation system for Figure 2: System interrelation between Test Areas and the Outline Map superficial geothermal energy potentials in Europe:

scale level and allows approximating the superficial For the time being, the test sites are to be geothermal potential roughly. A corresponding considered as country-specific ‘data hotspots’ development progress is shown in Figure 2. which can be extended and will grow in line with the universal data harmonisations respectively To evaluate the demands of practical users data generating. In the long term full area-covering regarding the projected WebGIS User Interface an data availability would be appreciated on a large online questio nnaire was developed (D3.3) and scale level in the ideal case. On the contrary, the sent to previously well-defined target groups and Outline Map can be considered as a ‘cheese cover’ its members via Internet-link. The evaluation of this Figure 4: Graphical evaluation of subitem / question 6.1 of the online questionnaire which covers the partner countries on a medium survey has been realised until end of 2011. Integrating expertise page 93 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

As a conclusion it can be stated that there is great Results interest in the free and user-friendly ThermoMap Internet application for estimating the very shallow During the set-up of the catalogue for the test (≤ 10m) geothermal potential, based on the areas several parameters have been proven received feedback from the target group members. themselves to be essential for the calculation of the Heat Conductivity and the Heat Capacity. Furthermore, a Member Country data catalogue (D3.4) was created at the end of the year 2011, Those parameters namely are the grain size Figure 5: Graphical evaluation of subitem / question 6.2 of the online based on the standardisation (D3.2) of the required (texture class), the bulk density, the water content questionnaire data/-sets (D3.1). The harmonised country data and the temperature (air respectively soil catalogues are a concluding document listing and temperature). describing all required parameters, needed for the estimation of the superficial geothermal potential For classifying the texture, the grain size triangle within the Test Areas and for the Outline Map according to the USDA-system is used (see Fig. 8). (1 : 250,000), and also the corresponding data Further data sources with regard to important soil (sets), that are necessary for the GIS- properties are for instance the WRB-classification implementation within Work Package 4. system (soil type), the ESDAC (meta)data set (soil type and texture for the scope of the Outline Map) Within the second process component ‘Processing, and the Ad-hoc AG Boden (German soil survey Figure 6: Graphical evaluation of subitem / question 6.3 of the online Analysis & Visualisation’ a Help Desk Forum (D4.1) manual). In the end, the exemplary calculation of questionnaire has been installed to support the data providing Heat Conductivity and Capacity values as a partners in conversing the geodata required function of the evaluated parameters leads • At the same time a very low level of information in D3.1. to an overall table of all possible values and access to related data of the superficial geothermal potential. For the analysis of the geodata a detailed Training These have to be processed and Manual, as the key instrument for the illustrated within the specially implementation of the WP3-specifications into developed GI-system (WP4). practice, has been developed by the WP4-leader PLUS. This training manual will guide the data providing partners in the coordinated analysis of the geodata within their Test Areas as well as for

the Outline Map’s scope. Figure 8: Grain size respectively texture triangle according to the USDA soil classification system the ThermoMap estimation is principally based on. The colouration reflects the main grain size groups sand (yellow coloured classes), loam (red coloured classes), silt (green Figure 7: Graphical evaluation of subitem / question 5.1 of the online coloured classes) and clay (blue coloured classes). questionnaire Integrating expertise page 94 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

List of conferences

Name of the event / Number Place Presenter Kind/Title of presentation Date conference of participant European Geosciences Union 10,725 Vienna / Austria David Bertermann (FAU) ThermoMap 04/04/2011 - General Assembly (whole meeting) RHC-Platform Conference 50 Budapest / Hungary Javier Urchueguia (as Presentation of the Strategic 05/05/ 2011 The analysis of the geodata will be performed in represen-tative of EGEC) Research Agenda, Geothermal a GIS environment (second phase of the project Panel -visualisation) and is facilitated by standardised methods. The resulting geothermal potential will be Vlaamse Confederatie Bouw - Brussels / Belgium Michiel Dusar (RBINS- De Belgische Geologische Dienst 16/05/2011 mapped on a local scale in test sites (third phase - Vereniging Geothermie GSB) en de ontwikkeling van geothermie in België of the project - testing) and on a medium scale for all partner countries and it will be integrated in a Sustainability Live 2011 150 Birmingham / UK J. P. Busby (BSG - NERC) Ground source heat pumps- where 26/05/2011 Web Service. With special regard to the general does the energy come from? discussion about the provision of renewable and Ground Source Live 40 Peter-borough / UK Philippe Dumas (EGEC) Increasing deployment of ground 07/06/2011 sustainable energies and the turning away from (Geodrilling) source heat pumps in Europe conventional energy resources, the ThermoMap project can deliver new impulses for a Efficiency and Sustainability 21 Nuremberg / Germany David Bertermann (FAU) ThermoMap 20/07/2011 decentralised, sustainable and low environmental of superficial geothermal energy in Bavaria impacting energy supply of the future. 4th Warmtepomp symposium 120 Sint-Katelijne-Waver / RBINS-GSB De ontwikkeling van geothermie 14/09/2011 At the end, ThermoMap will provide different Belgium in België user-groups with an interactive information tool Researchers’ Night in AFI 1,500 Bucharest/ Romania IGR Poster Presentation ThermoMap 23/09/2011 running in a web browser. Private users may check Cotroceni-Complex Project the potential of their local environment, community planning and administration authorities may test Research Show Room event 3,000 Bucharest/ Romania IGR Dissemination Event 05-08/10/2011 at the ROMEXPO exhibition the geothermal potential of their entire administrative complex unit. Researchers participating in ThermoMap will have access to the entire geodata pool, which ’Long Night of the Sciences’ 1,500 Erlangen/ Germany David Bertermann, Dissemination Event including 22/10/2011 will be set up in Web Map Service (WMS), event Christian Bialas (both instructional films, stand-up Web Coverage Service (WCS) and Web Feature FAU), Andreas Zacherl displays, several technical models (GBI), Mario Psyk and specially made leaflets Service (WFS). (REHAU)

The ThermoMap project addresses private users Geothermal Energy Congress 50 Bochum/ Germany Mario Psyk (REHAU) Oral Presentation of the 16/11/2011 who for example want to build or renovate a of GtV Bundesverband ThermoMap Project house; it addresses community planning and Geothermie administration authorities, who want to display Meeting of the ‘AG 20 Erlangen/ Germany David Bertermann (FAU) Oral Presentation of the 30/11/2011 new housing areas and want to inform about the Energieversorgung’ (Project ThermoMap Project with focus on geothermal potential at the same time. Group Energy Supply) of the the German Test Area 1 city of Erlangen, Germany Integrating expertise page 95 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

Geo-Seas updated EC raw materials policy documents within the Raw Materials Initiative, waste management Geo-Seas is an EU funded Framework 7 project legislation. which has developed an e-infrastructure for the delivery of marine geoscience data. This has been Introduction achieved through the adoption and adaption of Achievements of the South East existing tools and services developed by other Europe project 2009-2011 The project Sustainable Aggregates Resource related EU projects within the marine domain. Management - SARMa was co-financed by the Summary South East Europe Transnational Cooperation The project has implemented a dedicated data Programme. Lead partner was Geological Survey discovery and access service which currently The Sustainable Aggregates Resource of Slovenia, while Alianta d.o.o. project consulting provides access to more than 77000 standardised Management (SARMa) project, implemented company was the external support for technical, marine geological and geophysical data sets from between May 2009 and December 2011, administrative and financial project management. 26 data centres in 17 European countries. The developed a common approach to the Sustainable The project contributed with transnational Geo-Seas ‘portal’ [www.geo-seas.eu] allows users Aggregates Resource Management (SARM) and bottom-up approach to developing a common to search for data using keyword or geographical the Sustainable Supply Mix (SSM) in 10 countries approach to Sustainable Aggregates Resource searches and to also view a number of data types in South East Europe. This is important since the Management (SARM) and ensuring a Sustainable using a suite of visualisation tools that have been construction industry is heavily dependent on Supply Mix (SSM) in 10 participating countries of provided as part of the functionality of the data supply of aggregates. This objective was promoted the South East Europe (SEE) region. discovery and access service. These visualisation by issuing three manuals for different target tools include high-resolution seismic viewing groups. Manuals were printed in 9.500 copies in In the times of crisis of the construction industry, services, a lithological log viewing tool and 11 languages of South East Europe region and in it is crucial to promote the sustainable approach to a 3D DTM viewer. English. The local authorities, industry and the management and supply of aggregates needed communities were addressed in the first manual for construction works. These objectives were Geo-Seas is a three year project which started in tackling environmentally friendly quarrying, illegal promoted by establishing cooperation between May 2009 and will end with a final conference to extraction and recycling. SARM and SSM for the Geological Surveys in participating countries with St Polten SARMa meeting in June 211 showcase the results of the project to users on the authorities at the regional, national and various target groups at the local level (including 9 and 10 October 2012 at the University College transnational level were promoted in the second industry, policy level, and local communities), Cork, Ireland. manual, while the third one is Construction and regional and national policy level, and transnational Demolition Waste Management Manual. bodies related to the topic. Geological Surveys and other expert organisations from 10 SEE countries The project impact was detected in 12 improved (Slovenia, Austria, Greece, Hungary, Italy, national, regional and local policies regulating Romania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia, Croatia and aggregates management and supply and in the Albania) were involved in the project. Integrating expertise page 96 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

The messages of sustainable aggregates management Project’s achievements capacity building, and fostering transnational and supply were promoted by issuing three manuals territorial cooperation among local, regional, for different target groups. At the local level, The project impact is noticeable at the level of national and transnational authorities. Specifically, the main findings for local authorities, industry national, regional and local public authorities where the project contributed to increasing the resource representatives and communities are presented in different policies regulating aggregates efficiency by promoting a harmonised approach; the manual “How to achieve aggregates resource management and supply from the economic or by impacting the pronounced public authorities efficiency in local communities”, emphasizing environmental perspectives are being developed regulating aggregates management, and also by environmentally friendly quarrying, illegal extraction or improved. There are proposals for follow-up increasing the capacity and knowledge of and recycling. At the regional, national and transnational projects further increasing capacity of the public stakeholders for more environmentally friendly level, the recommendations are presented in the authorities and enhancing the involvement of quarrying, more social dialogue, more recycling etc. Manual on SARM and SSM aimed mostly at stakeholders in these processes. The project decision-making authorities. On the way to a more contributed to the improvement of the EC Raw Success factors based in upgrading the expertise sustainable society, a Construction and Demolition Materials Initiative, waste management legislation. and sharing experience of partners and their active Waste Management Manual was created illustrating role, support from the EU level, the SEE activities related to the inert waste recycling. The two main project objectives were successfully programme bodies and active lead partner Reclaimed gravel pit in Croatia 2011 accomplished, the bottom-up transnational Geological Survey of Slovenia. Partners confirmed The Geological Surveys and universities held the approach of 10 SEE countries/regions contributed that extensive transfer of knowledge, experience crucial role in sharing the developed recommendations to develop a common approach to Sustainable and good practice was established between all in the SEE area. The messages were directly Aggregates Resource Management (SARM) in participating partners and other organisations promoted to 1.300 representatives of public SEE and to ensure a Sustainable Supply Mix (SSM) actively involved in the project implementation. authorities and 2.100 representatives of the industry, in SEE. The existing approaches of partners were Additionally, significant increase of knowledge was at the 19 different capacity building events with compared and harmonised approaches to SARM noticed within the partner organisations since at over 1.100 participants and with other activities. and SSM were developed, leading to a common least 180 individuals gained from the knowledge With articles over 900.000 people were reached. understanding of aggregates based on EU and methodologies developed in the project. directives and guidelines, and in parallel the The transnational approach of cooperation between knowledge and capacity of partners and target Impact on the target groups project partners successfully resulted in increased groups was increased. The developed approaches awareness, knowledge and capacity of at least are applicable to other SEE countries and regions The main target groups benefitting from the project are: 180 employees of the involved partner organisations. as well as at the EU level. The sustainability of the project outcomes is • Expert level (surveys, institutes, universities): assured since the partner organisations incorporated The project contributed to the SEE Programme high impact by upgrading the existing methods of SARMa visit to gravel pit Lendava (Slovenia) 2011 the methods and recommendations in the business overall objectives by integrating environmental, work by participating directly in the project or by activities at the level of public authorities directly or social and economic aspects of sustainability with accessing the manuals, other project materials at the level of expert support to these authorities. respect to aggregates management and supply, and participating at the workshops Integrating expertise page 97 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

• Local, regional and national public The impact was significant at the transnational sources - national minerals policies, minerals authorities - civil servants, planners and level, harmonising the approach in SEE countries, planning policies, knowledge base). SARMa also practitioners involved in aggregates there was high interest for project results in other will facilitate the achievement of the Waste management: the impact was very high by EU countries, and the results were promoted at Directive recycling goal for Construction and presenting them tailored methodologies and the EU level (e.g. during Hungarian and Polish Demolition Wastes. The project is also important recommendations in the manuals and increasing presidency), through networks of partners because there is an increasing need to discuss knowledge by participating at the workshops (especially LP) and the Advisory Board (industry - and implement sustainable policies for both the UEPG association). The interest was also showed management and extraction of aggregates and • Private sector: moderate impact by providing outside EU (USA, Australia). other mineral resources, as well as the regulatory them recommendations in the manuals, framework guiding the exploitation of mineral providing them LCA methodology and scheme, The project was building on the results of some wealth. involving them in national workshops; impact projects that were run in parallel in partner was smaller at the SMEs since they are lacking organisations (territorial cooperation, FP7). The project had a significant impact on territorial capacity to participate at workshops and Emphasis was put on presenting the achievements cohesion of 10 SEE countries in the tackled field by incorporating upgraded knowledge at the EU level in the shaping of the minerals policy harmonising their approach to aggregates Regional SARMa workshop 2011 in Eddessa, Greece (Raw Materials Initiative), waste management management and related policies, and to • Civil society and general public: moderate legislation. The project was evaluated by three transferring efficiently the related EU guidelines to impact with workshops and other promotional external experts from UK, Germany and Ireland - the national or regional level. These policies are activities (website, SSM quiz, articles, memory representative of UEPG, assuring the transferability also contributing to the environmental dimension game). of results and taking the broader European by promoting the environmentally friendly perspective in account. There was significant quarrying, promoting recycling and preventing In partner organisations the upgraded knowledge interest for the project also in other EU countries illegal quarrying. These activities are contributing was incorporated in their regular operations, being where representatives of partners were presenting to the social dialogue with affected stakeholders. at the level of public authorities where the findings the outcomes. Economic activities of private sector operators are influencing the development or improvement of (large and small ones) are influenced by promoting current policies and regulations; or at the level of Implications the positive sides of more socially and expert institutions, resulting in increased environmentally acceptable quarrying activities, knowledge of several employees. The SARMa Project has implications for raw leading to positive impacts for the society. materials supply within SEE and beyond. The EU Territorially, the most significant impact was achieved realizes the importance of sustainable supply of at the regional and national level with the mentioned raw materials and has launched several impact on regional and national policies. Some Communications (last February 2011) under the impact was also achieved at the local level (e.g. in Raw Materials Initiative (RMI). SARMa directly Italy Parma Province, in Greece Pella prefecture). adds to the second pillar of RMI (supply from EU Integrating expertise page 98 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

Objectives Project outcomes

AEGOS aims at designing and setting up a AEGOS has been planned in three phases: design, pan-African Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI) of implementation and self-sustainable operations. public, interoperable geological and geology- As a preparatory stage for building a continent- African-European Georesources related data as well as user-oriented products and wide distributed information system on Africa’s Observation System services to foster and strengthen the sustainable georesources, the final results of this project use of georesources in Africa. The human resources (AEGOS design) are both technical and organisational www.aegos-project.org being a key component of AEGOS infrastructure, terms of reference with a view to actually common strategies are elaborated for capacity implementing and operating a permanent Context and objectives building and training programmes. This continental infrastructure in the subsequent phases: observation system will provide support to a wide The sustainable use of resources of geological range of end users: policy-makers at all geographic • assessment of the existing situation, gap analysis origin such as minerals and non-energy raw levels, development agencies, private sector and requirement identification about technical materials, groundwater and geothermal energy actors, geoscientific communities and civil society. infrastructure, information systems, human requires knowledge based on data, information resources and skills; and expertise. In Africa, it is a key issue for AEGOS will be a one-stop information point to development of the African countries. In the near locate geoscientific data and knowledge. • choice of standards and methodologies to specify future, it is likely to play an ever increasing role A web-enabled multilingual portal will facilitate a the AEGOS metadata profile, the AEGOS SDI due to the world’s growing population and the controlled access to a network of databases modelling and common data models; proposal rising demand for natural resources, raw materials, distributed over both continents. AEGOS was a for a system architecture, technical element better infrastructures and services in Africa. sub-task of the Group on Earth Observations (GEO) functional design and a strategy with operational Work Plan 2009-2011. Being the contribution of procedures to develop and implement the SDI Collectively, the European geological survey geoscience to the Global Earth Observation hardware and software components; organisations have a unique archive of public System of Systems (GEOSS), it complies as much Africa-related geoscientific data sets that need to as possible with the GEOSS data sharing principles • definition of user-oriented products and services be shared with their African partners. Over the last through the AEGOS Charter of Partnership. More based on innovation, transdisciplinarity and decades, a large amount of geoscientific data and than metadata and maps, this pan-African SDI will transborder data processing/modelling to information has been acquired by African surveys propose a facilitated access to added-value produce predictability and governance maps; and authorities, in some cases with the georesources data sets through interoperable demonstration of feasibility through two test beds collaboration of European counterparts. Identifying services and user-oriented products. on Senegal and Ghana data sets; and providing access to geology-related data and knowledge underpins sustainable public policy- making across the various levels of governance. Integrating expertise page 99 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

• identification of the necessary steps and together to improve the level and quality of European Union Joint Research Centre. Additionally, elements for turning the AEGOS SDI into an resource data available for Africa”. AEGOS Project six other organisations contributed to the project AEGOS Research Infrastructure, hence offering is in line with the Africa-EU partnership on raw as subcontractors: geological surveys (two African not only access to georesources but added-value materials, as part of the Joint Africa-EU Strategy and two European), a British university and services; identification of the conditions for (JAES) Action Plan, under which the cooperation is EUMETSAT. alignment with the GEOSS Common Infrastructure organised around three broad areas, including as a pre-requirement to further establish AEGOS “Geological Knowledge and Skills”. In order to The project governance structure involved the as a fully interoperable and interdisciplinary translate the visions into actions, the African, contribution of an advisory board. This consulting GEOSS node; Caribbean and Pacific Group of States recently body was composed of external invited experts published the “Framework of Action for the representing international organisations which • design of an organisational framework for the development of mineral resources sector in the have actual and possible links with the African SDIs performance of training courses; specification of ACP countries” (September 2011), and the African and will benefit from the AEGOS infrastructure: a comprehensive training curriculum based on a Union published the “Action Plan for implementing ACP (African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of multi-stage scheme (basic, foundation and the African Mining Vision 2050” (December 2011). States); AUC (African Union Commission - expert) including modules (15) with specific topics Both action plans formally state that AEGOS SDI Department of Science and Technology); (24), goals and content; should be operationalised in the short term in order EuroGeoSurveys (Association of the Geological to establish improved geological and mineral Surveys of Europe); GEO (Group on Earth • recognition of georesources in GEOSS and information systems which underpin investment in Observations); GSAf (Geological Society of Africa); inclusion of minerals in a new GEO Task EN-01 exploration and mine development. ICSU/ROA (International Council for Science/ “Energy and Geo-Resources Management”, Regional Office for Africa); OAGS (Organisation of adopted by GEO’s Member States and Project details African Geological Surveys); UNESCO - IHP Participating Organisations at the GEO-VII (International Hydrological Programme); UNECA Plenary (Work Plan 2012-2015); and AEGOS was co-funded as a Support Action of the (United Nations Economic Commission for Africa 7th European Union’s Research and Technology - ICT, Science and Technology Division). • preparation of a charter of partnership presenting Development Framework Programme (FP7). the organisational framework, general conditions Coordinated by BRGM (French Geological Survey), The total project budget was €2.42 million, with and the necessary commitments of the participants it involved 23 European and African partners over 1.93 million being provided by the 7th RTD (data providers, end users) as part of the future 36 months from December 2008 to November Framework Programme. AEGOS partnership network involved in a 2011. The AEGOS consortium included national self-sustainable AEGOS organisation. and regional institutions, i.e. geological surveys Significant conferences attended (seven African and nine European), two African The AEGOS Project is recognised in the European regional organisations (UEMOA and SEAMIC), two • Johannesburg, 12-15 January 2011: 23rd Commission’s Communication COM(2011)-25 as African universities, and the Institute on Colloquium of African Geology (CAG23) bringing “the EU’s and Africa’s geo-surveys Environment and Sustainability (IES) at the Integrating expertise page 100 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

• Cape Town, 7-10 February, Indaba Mining 2011 • Paris, 3-8 July 2011: 25th International Cartographic Conference (ICC 25) • London, 8-9 February, 5th GEO European Projects workshop (GEPW-5) • Windhoek, 29 August 2011: Organisation of African Geological Surveys Annual Meeting • Brussels, 29 March 2011: EuroGeosurveys Directors’ Workshop • Tunis, 3-4 November 2011: World Bank 1. Introduction workshop “Leveraging natural resources wealth • Dakar, 20 April 2011: Post-PASMI Regional for diversified development” Population growth and increasing land use intensity Workshop: Geology and mineral resources of lead to growing demands and exploitation of Senegal • Istanbul, 16-18 November 2011: Group on Earth natural resources. Soils are among the most Observation, GEO-VIII Plenary Session and important and most endangered natural resource • Addis Ababa, 2-5 May 2011: CODIST-II Second Exhibition, with EuroGeoSurveys and European entities. In order to plan and implement sustainable Committee on Development Information Science Commission DG for Research and Innovation soil management practices and to facilitate the and Technology - Innovation for industrial rational exploitation of the resource, more detailed development (UN Economic Commission for • Addis Ababa, 12-16 December 2011: 2nd African information on the occurrence of soils, its particular Africa) Union Conference of Ministers Responsible for characteristics, potential risks, and hazards is Mineral Resources Development needed. Soil conservation and its sustainable use • Geneva, 4-6 May 2011: GEO 2012-2015 Work are implemented through political initiatives such Plan Symposium “Capacity Building” and as the Common Agricultural Policy, Nitrate “Science and Technology” committee sessions Directive, Soil Thematic Strategy, and other programmes. The draft Soil Directive for instance • Bonn, 9-11 May: 1st GEO/EGIDA Workshop also addresses consistent soil information at a “Connecting GEOSS and its stakeholders in target scale of 1:250.000 for reporting Science and Technology” requirements across Europe.

• Brussels, 20 May 2011: African, Caribbean and Within the INSPIRE directive (INfrastructure for Pacific Group of States Secretariat: “Framework SPatial InfoRmation in Europe), soils are explicitly of action for the development of mineral addressed as an individual theme and besides that, resources sector in ACP countries” soil-related environmental, agricultural and forestry aspects are also denoted. Activities taking place in • Windhoek, 30 May-1 June 2011: 26th annual INSPIRE are very often accompanied by research conference of the Geoscience Information and development. In the case of INSPIRE and soil, Consortium (GIC26) the GS Soil project has been implemented under Integrating expertise page 101 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

the DG Information Society & Media eContentplus representation of environmental information for the harmonisation of spatial soil data within Europe as programme. It aims at establishing a European public is essential for attracting greater awareness well as the operation of a corresponding Spatial network to improve the access to spatial soil data of environmental matters. A free exchange of Data Infrastructure (SDI) were main objectives of using principles, standards and definitions not views and more effective participation by the public the GS Soil consortium. Technical and syntactic having been developed at the starting point of GS in environmental decision-making is taking place. interoperability have been ensured by the use of Soil. The project considers aspects of data On the other hand, detailed knowledge and open standards such as published by the Open organisation, data harmonisation as well as information about the environment are required to Geospatial Consortium (OGC) and the INSPIRE semantic and technical interoperability in order to ensure that the environmental policy-making of the Specifications on Network Services. As a result, produce seamless geospatial information on soil European community considers regional and local soil data providers offer their data via OGC based on a Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI). differences while discovering the European picture. compliant Web Feature Services (WFS) or Web Map Services (WMS), ensuring that the GS portal In order to cope with these needs for soil The GS Soil project can be seen as best practice and other client systems are capable of accessing information, an increasing amount of data about example providing an overview of the GS Soil and displaying the distributed data. soils must be made accessible and shared across activities and results for the practical disciplines, such as climate, land use and implementation of a European Spatial Data A generic application schema for soil data serves environmental observation. The exchanged data Infrastructure for soil information. Thus, designed as a backbone for data interoperability. Using a must be interoperable so that data users can for the users, "soil" arrived in the INSPIRE reality! number of international OGC and other standards process and combine soil information with digital The results of the GS Soil network can be regarded the partners established and operated a network of information from neighbouring disciplines. as a significant step forward in increasing the services for spatial datasets and metadata. This Guidance on harmonisation is needed so that accessibility of soil relevant information and network includes distributed services for data information from different sources can be enabling government taking decisions. transformation, discovery, view and best practice understood, compared and interpreted across for download, and Intellectual Property Rights (IPR). administrative borders. 2. Main objectives and results The central result of the project is the GS Soil It has been recognised that an easy cross-border The project GS Soil aimed at establishing a portal. European soil data from heterogeneous access to data is the key to design successful European network to improve the access to spatial sources are bundled here and best practice expertise politics, especially environmental policies and soil data for public sector bodies, private is exposed. In order to ensure transnational activities. Today electronic maps are a basic companies and citizens. The project considered usability of the portal and related services, aspects concept for planning and decision making in all aspects of data organization, data harmonisation of multilingualism and data interpretation were areas of environmental politics. The availability and as well as semantic and technical interoperability in considered thoroughly. In this respect, the accessibility of environmental information held by order to produce seamless geospatial soil harmonisation of metadata and the definition of or held for public authorities and business are information and to improve the data access for a terms and conditions have been addressed with getting more and more important. On the one wider community of different user groups. The supporting tools and explanatory documents. hand, an increased access and visual structural specification for the description and Integrating expertise page 102 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

During the lifetime of the project, partners 3. Gs soil project facts to one or more of the specific themes mentioned in extensively supported the implementation of the annexes I-III of the INSPIRE Directive. The focus of INSPIRE requirements on basis of available The project was co-funded by the European GS Soil is thereby set on soil and soil related data. experience in selected European countries and Community programme eContentplus with 4.1 M € In the eContentplus programme, GS Soil is defined regions on different organisational levels. This (total project volume 5.1 M €). It is a programme as a Best Practice Network (BPN) for Geographic ensures that users are now able to discover, view from the European Commission DG Information Information. and download soil data across Europe. Please feel Society and Media with the objective to make free to have a look to our technical developments digital content in Europe more accessible, usable Title Assessment and strategic development of INSPIRE on [www.gssoil-portal.eu]. We also invite you to and exploitable. GS Soil is thereby allocated to the compliant Geodata-services for European Soil Data have an in depth review on all the details of the area of geographic information. It focuses on the brochure topics in the specific publicly available aggregation of existing national datasets into Duration June 2009 - May 2012 (36 month) deliverables. seamless cross-border datasets, which will serve Funding The project has received financial resources from the European for new information services and products, in eContentplus Programme, EC DG Information Society and Media particular with a view to reducing barriers related Budget total 5.1 Mio € Partners 34 Countries in the network 18 IT Partners 12 Soil Partners (data providers) 22 Involved persons > 120 Thematic working groups (WG) WG 2 "Content Provision Framework" WG 3 "Data Management and Metadata" WG 4 "Harmonisation and Semantic Interoperability" WG 5 "GS SOIL Portal and integrated network" WG 6 "Evaluation and Sustainability" Coordination Dissemination

Country coverage in the network 18

Figure 3: Project structure of GS Soil Integrating expertise page 103 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

4. Needs for soil data and visualisation can take place in many different these objects. Parameter definitions according to ways and has developed quite differently in the these rules include, for instance, code lists with The project identified the demanding needs and European countries during the last century. relevant explanations for each code and class analysed that soil and soil related data contain The same applies to all those procedures with definitions of classified numerical values. With it, important information about the spatial distribution which soil materials, their composition and physical data users get all necessary information for the sound of country's soil types and other soil properties properties are analysed in the laboratory. For some interpretation and use of the pedological data. such as horizon depth, pH value, soil texture, properties, several closely related parameters exist organic matter content etc. Thus, physical, chemical that nonetheless differ in their values and their The application schema for soil data, definitions, and biological soil properties provide information meaning. Many quantitative values are given in and the work on soil theme-specific metadata was on soil fertility for agricultural production, for classes instead of single values, considering their provided to the INSPIRE Thematic Working Group determination of taxes for landowners or for high spatial or temporal variability. Class definitions Soil, which took up several concepts and ideas. environmental studies. The latter are more and are often diverse between countries and adapted The GS Soil elaborations on metadata directly fed more demanded in a world where overexploitation to the entire value range found within their in the INSPIRE data specifications soil. In addition, of resources play an important role. In this respect, boundaries, or to the aims of the individual soil GS Soil tested the INSPIRE data specifications soil soil maps are for instance used for decision-making investigation. version 2.0 as a "spatial data interest community" processes such as the evaluation of priority areas with data from several partners and commented for agricultural production or spatial planning The identification of a common core structure of on the data model and the accompanying text. purposes. These applications have increased the soil data seemed to be a reasonable approach to demand of soil data tremendously in the past achieve a technical interoperability between such 6. Gs soil test cases decades. As a consequence, the web access of soil diverse data. This essentially means finding those information became important due to the objects, which are described to characterise soil in The study of soils in their landscape context to increasing intensity of international data exchange the different systems. For the parameters, the need develop an understanding of the geography of soil and transnational data exploitation at European for object (or parameter-related) metadata is obvious, types and properties in Europe has a long history. level requiring the assessment, interpretation and and a way to handle semi-quantitative values. Soil observation, classification and data collection harmonisation of national data sets following the methods have developed independently in each INSPIRE principles. The already on-going effort of an ISO working soil survey area. Concepts to describe soil profiles group of the ISO Technical Committee 190 Soil and their relation to the landscape were mainly 5. Preparing soil data for inspire Quality to produce a general approach for the developed prior to the onset of the digital era and digital exchange of soil-related data was taken up are a conceptual data model formulation which is The identification of the cross-national need for soil by the project. GS Soil contributed to the further truly computing-platform-independent. data and the inventory of existing datasets across development to the present committee draft of ISO Europe showed that exchanging soil data is a very 25258 delivered in January 2011. In principle, The harmonisation case studies in GS Soil (“test big challenge. Soil is a spatially continuous it is based on a non-extensible catalogue of objects cases”) comprised the three broad types shown in phenomenon, its description, classification, and rules of how to define attribute parameters for the figure attached Integrating expertise page 104 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

• Translation of map legends using expert knowledge Single country • Reference terminology for describing the content of soil maps

• Aggregation and dis-aggregation of map legend Adjoining areas of two countries and content

A cross-tabulation presents the diversity and representativity of these pillars in the GS Soil test Complete WRB cases: coverage of adjacent countries

Figure 15: Test case groups

The test cases investigated four ‘pillars’ of harmonisation:

• Matching local soil profile data to internationally accepted nomenclature (FAO Guidelines for Profile Description)

• Translation of local soil classification as represented by soil profile and map legends to the World Reference Base (WRB)

• Translation of actual soil profiles linked to map polygons

• Translation of derived profiles with summary properties Integrating expertise page 105 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

There were some general harmonisation threads information and data from websites and from 8. Consortium running through most test cases, in particular: viewing services to metadata catalogues are available and accessible at one location. The GS Partner Institutions: • Testing the compatibility of local soil profile Soil map viewer visualises spatial soil data as OGC 1 Coordination Center PortalU at the Lower Saxon observation methods with the FAO Guidelines and INSPIRE compliant mapping services (WMS Ministry of Environment, Energy and Climate for ‘Profile Description (FAO, 2006) and WFS). Iterative cycles adopting the relevant Protection, Germany INSPIRE Implementing Rules (Network Services • The translation of local soil profiles and/or local and related) and on the basis of the InGrid software 2 Federal Research and Training Center for Forest, map legends to World Reference Base (WRB). designed for the German Environment Information Natural Hazards and Landscape, Austria Portal (PortalU) has been applied towards the final • In few countries, the comparisons of map GS Soil portal which is available in 13 languages. 3 Environment Agency Austria, Austria complexity in similar geomorphic areas was The most important features of the GS Soil portal is conducted as a basis to compare the resolution the advanced search function to provide access to 4 Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety, of soil maps. This work was supplemented by metadata, soil related websites and publications, Austria calculating map indexes for two pilot projects of dissemination of final project products and best the European Soil Bureau Network (ESBN), the practice examples and the map viewer with direct 5 Paris Lodron University of Salzburg, Centre for German-CZ Sheet Chemnitz, and the Polish- access to WMS and WFS. Geoinformatics, Austria German-CZ Odre Basin map. 6 Vlaamse Overheid - The results clearly demonstrate that data which Departement Leefmilieu, are technically interoperable (as required under the Natuur en Energie, Belgium INSPIRE Directive) are not comparable beyond country borders unless the information content is 7 Infologica Ltd., Bulgaria harmonized. The GS Soil test cases provide valuable insights into methods and work load to 8 Institute of Soil Science Nikola implement harmonization. Poushkarov, Bulgaria

7. The gs soil portal 9 Czech Environmental Information Agency, Czech Republic The GS Soil portal is a central access point for end-users to standardised, interoperable and 10 Masaryk University, Czech INSPIRE compliant European soil information and Republic delivery website for the finale GS Soil project products.. Via the GS Soil portal, all distributed soil Integrating expertise page 106 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

11 Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural 25 University of Miskolc, Dept. of Physical 2 FEIDEN, K., BARITZ, R., KLUG, H. (2011): A ‘one Resources, Germany Geography and Environmental Sciences, stop shop’ for European soil data. In: International Hungary Innovation Report, Issue May 2011. 12 con terra GmbH, Germany 3 FEIDEN, K., KIRCHENBAUER, V., KRUSE, F.: 26 Irish Agriculture and Food Development The GS SOIL contribution to INSPIRE. GI_Forum 13 Fraunhofer Institute for Computer Graphics Authority, Ireland Proceedings 2011: Research, Germany [www.gi-forum.org/index.php?option=com_ 27 Warsaw University of Technology, Poland content&view=article&id=94&Itemid=92] 14 wemove digital solutions GmbH, Germany (2012-05-08) 28 EDISOFT s. a, Portugal 15 University of Aarhus, Denmark 4 FEIDEN, K., KRUSE, F., REZNIK, T., KUBICEK, 29 National Institute for Biological Recourses, P., SCHENTZ, H., EBERHARDT, E., BARITZ, R. 16 Spanish National Research Council, Spain Portugal (2011): Best Practice Network GS SOIL - Promoting Access to European, Interoperable 17 MTT Agrifood Research Finland, Finland 30 National Research and Development Institute and INSPIRE Compliant Soil Information. In: J. for Soil Science Agricultural Chemistry and Hřebíček, G. Schimak, and R. Denzer (Eds.): 18 Alsace Region, France Environment, Romania ISESS 2011, IFIP AICT 359, pp. 226-234, 2011.

19 Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece 31 Soil Science and Conservation Research 5 FEIDEN, K. (2011): The GS SOIL Portal: Making Institute, Slovakia interoperable, INSPIRE compliant soil data better 20 Institute of Geology and Mineral Exploration , accessible. GeoConnexion International: Geodata Greece 32 Agri-Food & Biosciences Institute, United Kingdom for Agriculture, May 2011, Volume 10, Issue 5.

21 Hellenic Agricultural Organisation - Demeter, 33 Agricultural Institute of Slovenia, Slovenia 6 KERCHEVA, M.; TEOHAROV, M.; SHISHKOV, T.; Greece GEORGIEV, B.; ROUSSEVA, SV.; KOLEV, N.; 34 The James Hutton Institute, United Kingdom FILCHEVA, E.; ILIEVA, R.; KRASTEVA, V.; 22 National Food Chain Safety Office, Hungary HRISTOV, B.; DIMITROV, E.; LUBENOVA, I.; 9. Papers MITREVA, Z. (2011): Challenges for soil data 23 Center for Agricultural Research, Hungarian dissemination in GS soil project In: Atanasov et Academy of Sciences, Hungary 1 ANSORGE, C.; TULIPAN, M.; KLUG, H.; HUBER, al. (eds) Proceedings of International conference S. (2011): GS Soil: interoperable. EU-Bodendaten “100 years Bulgarian soil science”, Publ. PSSE, 24 Szent Istvan University, Hungary - fit für INSPIRE? In: eGovernment Review, p. 200-204. Issue 7, p. 22-23. 7 KIRCHENBAUER, V., FEIDEN, K., KRUSE, F.: Integrating expertise page 107 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

Das GS SOIL Portal - vom Prototypen zur raw materials, transparency and sustainable endgültigen Portalversion. In: Strobl, J., Blaschke, growth” was adopted. The need to address the T., Griesebner, G. (Hrsg.): Angewandte sustainable development of the extractive industry Geoinformatik 2011: Wichmann Verlag, Heidelberg, and the reduction of its environmental footprint p. 722-727. was addressed by several national and international initiatives, both from the private and institutional 8 SHISHKOV, T. (2011): Implication of the World sectors. The European Technology Platform on Reference Base and Soil Taxonomy within the Earth Observation for Monitoring and Sustainable Mineral Resources (ETP-SMR) goal is framework of Bulgarian Soil classification In: Observing Environmental and Societal to “modernise and reshape one of the fundamental Atanasov et al. (eds) Proceedings of International Impacts of Mineral Resources Exploration pillars of the European economy and society”. conference “100 years Bulgarian soil science”, and Exploitation Publ. PSSE, p. 103-106. Since these, a lot of initiatives arise in Europe and • EU programme: FP7 - theme 6 environment Raw material now became of highest priority in EU 9 VALCHEVA, ZH. (2011): Establishing of INSPIRE - Call 2009 policy, with the Raw Material Initiative the European € € compliant spatial data infrastructure for improved • Funding: 3.1 M (overall budget 4.1 M ) Industrial Partnership on raw materials and the access to European soil data In: Atanasov et al. • Project reference: 244242 Resource Efficient Europe flagship initiative. (eds) Proceedings of International conference • Duration: 01/02/2012 - 31/01/2013 (9-month “100 years Bulgarian soil science”, Publ. PSSE, extension under application) 2. Project objective and structure p. 205-207. • Coordinator: Stephane Chevrel, BRGM, member of EOEG The social acceptability of a mining project, from 10 ZHIVKOV, D.; GEORGIEV, B., KRASTEVA, V., • Consortium: 14 partners from 8 countries, exploration to closure, is among the major key MITREVA, Z. (2011): Guidelines for updating and 4 surveys from EuroGeoSurveys issues to be dealt with. use of soil map of Bulgaria In: Atanasov et al. (eds) Proceedings of International conference 1. Introduction The overall aim of EO-MINERS is to bring into play “100 years Bulgarian soil science”, Publ. PSSE, EO-based methods and tools to facilitate and p. 208-215. In 2007, the European Commission Vice President, improve interaction between the mineral extractive responsible for Industry policy declared that industry and the society in view of its sustainable “European industries need predictability in the flow development while improving its societal acceptability. of raw materials and stable prices to remain competitive. We are committed to improve the EO-MINERS scientific and technical objectives conditions of access to raw materials, be within hence are to: i) assess policy requirements at Europe or by creating a level playing field in accessing macro (public) and micro (mining companies) levels such material from abroad”. During the G8 Summit and define environmental, socio-economic, societal on June 2007, a Declaration on “Responsibility for and sustainable development criteria and indicators Integrating expertise page 108 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

to be possibly dealt using Earth Observation (EO); activities within the life cycle of mining operations. (data acquisition phase) to downstream (the ii) use existing EO knowledge and carry out new Those products will allow to observe, to monitor added-value EO-based product delivery phase) developments on demonstration sites to demonstrate and to quantify social and environmental impacts as well as through the processing chain the capabilities of integrated EO-based methods caused by mining activities over the selected (algorithms). WP2, entitled "Protocols and and tools in monitoring, managing and contributing demonstration sites and aiming to understand Standards for EO products will take care of robust reducing the environmental and societal footprints their “footprint”. As satellite based remote sensing and reliable standards and protocols that guarantee of the extractive industry during all phases of a focuses more on a regional - and sometimes up the repeatability of the methods deployed. mining project and iii) contribute making available to a national - scale, airborne remote sensing reliable and objective information about affected maintains the opportunity to record mineral • WP5 is dedicated to "Communication, ecosystems, populations and societies, to serve as extraction sites with high resolution (geometrically dissemination, capacity building and exploitation". a basis for a sound “trialogue” between industrialists, and thematically). The workpackage concentrates on developing governmental organisations and stakeholder. means for a sound “trialogue” (definition: • WP4 , entitled "EO Integration, Products and “An interchange and discussion of ideas among EO-MINERS is designed into five technical work Systems" and intend to contribute to the three groups having different origins, philosophies, packages closely related each other and development of generic EO data integration principles, etc.”) between the three main groups corresponding to the three scientific and technical schemes, EO products and EO-driven environmental involved, the industry, governmental organisations objectives: modelling scenarios adapted to various and other stakeholders (e.g. NGOs). This “trialogue” situations, whose reliability and objectivity cannot will assist towards the reconciliation of interests • WP1 , entitled “Policy Analysis and Indicator be disputed by all parties involved in any stage of in order to reach common agreement upon Identification”, aims to identify the information a mining project. Such products aim to characterise actions to deal with environmental and social requirements from policy for the selection of affected ecosystems, populations and societies impacts of mining activities. appropriate Earth Observation techniques and and become an indisputable basis for a sound the formulation of protocols and standards in “trialogue” between industrialists, governmental The methodological developments are carried out subsequent work packages. WP1 will produce an organisations and stakeholders. WP4 also over three demonstration sites to cover the variety analysis of policies related to the environmental addresses GEO and GEOSS process and tasks, of mineral deposits, environmental issues, and and social footprint of mineral industries. Policies by using these outputs to define core elements of legal constraints. In particular aspects to be from three stakeholder categories will be under an environmental observing system and covered are: study: companies, public authorities and civil examining how this system fits in GEO and society. contributes to building GEOSS. • heavily exploited sites (Mpumalanga coal field, South Africa) • WP3 , entitled "EO application and development • Developments carried out in WP3 and WP4 rely over demonstration sites" will contribute to on data that fully comply with protocols and • sites in densely populated areas (lignite open pit develop high level EO-based data products standards, e.g., data calibration, data validation at Sokolov, Czech Republic) applicable to the different stages of mining and data quality assurance, from upstream Integrating expertise page 109 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

• highly mining-dependent economy in an end-of-life 4. Current product development Interpretation of Landsat TM time series between mining context (Makmal gold mine and 1989, 2002 and 2010 enabled to monitor and map processing plant, Kyrgyzstan) Indicators for assessing and monitoring urban sprawling in relation with the development of environmental and societal impact of extractive mining activities in the Mpumalanga province of 3. Project outcomes industry were derived from an expert approach, South Africa from a stakeholder approach and from the site An extensive review of policies relevant of conceptual models mentioned above. A list of environmental and societal impact of the mining some 60 indicators has eventually been issued, industry, at international, national regional and local of which more than a half can be either directly or (demonstration site) levels has been carried out indirectly addressed using EO techniques. that led to the definition of relevant indicators to best monitor these impacts, and corresponding EO monitoring tools and techniques, where available.

A literature review and extensive collection of local data enabled the definition of a site conceptual model for each of the three demonstration sites that describes the environmental and societal concerns of the local mine activity. Number of indicators Extensive EO data have been acquired to monitor Together with the AEGOS project, EO-MINERS has these impacts, including hyperspectral airborne Mineral and vegetation maps have been produced been actively involved in the reconnaissance of surveys (2009, 2010 and 2011 in Czech Republic), from VNIR - SWIR - TIR imaging spectroscopy, minerals and georesources in GEO-GEOSS and Worldview_II stereopairs, (South Africa, with focus on Acid Mine Drainage minerals and contributes as Task leads to EN-01 (Energy and Kyrgyzstan), spectroradiometric field reference vegetation health status related to mining activities. Georesources management) and SB-05 (Impact of measurement (all 3 sites), Landsat time series Time series enable change detection analysis Human Activities) Societal Benefit areas. (South Africa), SRTM and ASTER DEMs, field relevant of mining activities from hyperspectral sampling for chemical and mineralogical analyses, images. etc. All data have been processed developing standardized work flows to ensure quality and Relation between mineral maps and surface representativeness of the different data sets. drainage maps derived from DEMs will highlight possible contamination pathways. Integrating expertise page 110 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

The main objective of the project is to develop an EuroGeoSource is aimed at users from the EC information and policy support system for sustainable (including the EC Directorate-General for Energy supply of energy and mineral resources in Europe and Transport, EuroStat, the EC JRC Institute for (EuroGeoSource). The system will allow users to Energy), commercial parties (oil gas and mining identify, access, use and reuse aggregated companies, investment companies), geological geographical information on geo-energy and surveys, research institutes and universities, and mineral resources, covering at least ten European (inter-)national geo-energy and mining authorities. 1. Summary of project objectives countries. The multilingual system will provide basic services for the visualization and overlay of 2. Work performed since the EuroGeoSource is a three year project funded by the information layers obtained from distributed beginning of the project the ICT PSP Call, theme 6.2 Geographic information sources, as well as more advanced spatial and That started in April 2010 and will end in April temporal analysis on the data. The implemented We have send out 1040 potential users of the 2013. The project has a budget of 2.5 million EUR solutions will be in accordance with OGC future EuroGeoSource portal and invited them to divided over 11 work packages (see figure 1) and specifications and compliant with INSPIRE. The give us their opinion on desired content and the project consortium consists of 11 geological developed web services will enable the creation of functionality via an internet questionnaire. surveys, 2 commercial companies and one university. value-added services (such as demand-supply We analysed the 187 returned answers statistically modeling) by third parties. and composed a list of user requirements (WP2).

Furthermore, an inventory of the current situation regarding data and information on energy and minerals in the participating countries (WP3) has been made via an internal questionnaire.

Based on this inventory we collected the existing standards, data types and data models used for hydrocarbon and mineral resources from the participating data holders and identified relevant existing data models within the scope of the EuroGeoSource project. From this we selected a set of available key attributes (WP4) that met the user requirements and organized them in a data Figure 1: project structure(left hand side) and consortium partners model. The attributes were mapped on the draft (right hand side) versions (2.0) of the INSPIRE guidelines (TWG Geology and Mineral resources and TWG for Integrating expertise page 111 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

Energy) and on the EarthResourceML Data The first prototype of the Web application has been The 2nd workshop (Rotterdam, March 2012) Exchange Model where appropriate. INSPIRE does updated using remarks and feedback from the first brought representatives from international, however not address all EuroGeoSource needs, public workshop in Rotterdam (March 2011), European and Member State level, as well as therefore extensions have been added. At the stakeholders, the advisory committee and project stakeholders from international and EU levels same time simplifications have been made when members, resulting in a second prototype (WP6). together, to discuss the results of the project so far the INSPIRE model was too complex. This prototype has been built on OSS software: and guide the finalisation of the project. As such OpenLayer combined with MapQuery as client the workshops built an international collaborative The EuroGeoSource project is registered as a software. MapQuery has specifically been created framework to discuss data harmonization and Spatial Data Interest Communities (SDICs) and has to support the required EuroGeoSource functionality. interoperability issues related to mineral and been participating in public consultation and testing On the server site different OSS components energy resources. of the drafts of the INSPIRE ANNEX II and III data process and supply data to the client. The second specifications for Energy Reources, Mineral prototype includes the Southern Permian Basin The website is used as a communication tool, with Resources and Geology. Atlas comprising of almost one hundred different continuous updates following the project progress layers, and WMS services form project partners. and suggestions of the partners. Furthermore a For the quantification of the resources the United A cloud system has been setup and the mentioned EuroGeoSource newsletter and flyers have been Nations Framework Classification (UNFC) for layers are tiled and cached in this cloud system to made (WP11). Energy and Mineral Resources has been adopted. guarantee a fast and responsive client interface. The implemented services also supply data to an Main results achieved so far To make the supply of data to the EuroGeoSource Android prototype which has been developed. project easy, a relational data model has been The analysis of the results of the internet designed and implemented (WP5) that supports Based on the prototype, the real EuroGeoSource questionnaire showed that there is a lack of data the storage of all information relevant to the system has been developed (WP8). Administrative accessibility due to differences in format, lack of project. A OGC/INSPIRE compliant download areas data for most partners has been loaded into harmonization and uncertainty on update service has been implemented to deliver the data the central node database, and an OGC Web frequency. Potential users see the EuroGeoSource stored in the relational data model. The implementation Feature Service (WFS) for geonames has been set portal therefore as a real necessity. This conclusion of both the relational database and the download up to access this information. Several OGC Web is backed by the results of the inventory of data service is described in detail in a cookbook. Map Services (WMS) have been added to the Web availability and involved organizations within the applications. The requirements for the multi-lingual consortium. The internet questionnaire led to a With regard to the non-harmonized spatial data functionalities are finalised (WP7) and the data number of conclusions on the content, expected content an new inventory of relevant datasets that structure to implement it has been designed and use, scope and functionality of the portal. Different are available at the partners has been carried out, built, together with a translation web service. user groups had different wishes on type and detail together with relevant services already published The actual filling of the translation functionality with of the information that should be present at the elsewhere. Many of these services are already the translated terms will be completed in the last portal, and also had different views on desired integrated in the EuroGeoSource portal. year of the project. functionality. All user groups agreed that the portal Integrating expertise page 112 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

GENERAL DATA OF SITE DATA OF LOCATION ADMINISTRATIVE DATA Coordinates: longitude, latitude INSPIRE ID of site (M&E) Licence ID (M&E) (M&E) has to be compatible with other already existing close as possible. From discussions at several Local ID (M&E) Depth below surface (M&E) Type of license (M&E) datasets (OpenStreetMap, OneGeology, Corine meetings outside the project on the use of UNFC Name of site (M&E) Water depth (M&E) Name of licensee / operator (M&E) Land cover 2000...) and that the data is compliant we learned that this system is gaining in popularity, with the INSPIRE directive. Finally the want the and countries are taking steps to implement it in Name of site (M&E) Geographical location (M&E) Duration of licence (M&E) portal to work with a map viewer, using a GIS their own environment. Type of resource (M&E) Country name (M&E) Areal extent of license (M&E) interface and have a downloading option for Year of discovery (M&E) personalised search results. The respondents The compliance of the data Status of site (M&E) showed a primary interest in non metallic resources, model to INSPIRE is monitored References (M&E) secondly on energetic resources and finally on by the direct participation of metallic resources. The EuroGeoSource portal will consortium members in the TWG Remarks (M&E) serve data on all tree types of resources. Geology and Mineral resources ECONOMIC DATA ADDITIONAL DATA ADDITIONAL DATA and the TWG for Energy. Furthermore EuroGeoSource Geological characteristics regional / Classification (M&E) Main type of field (E) The inventory of the current situation regarding is registered as an SDIC within INSPIRE, of field (M&E) In situ ore / substance reserves Age of host rock / Reservoir rock data on energy and mineral resources within the volunteering to act as a pilot project and offering Status (E) members of the consortium shows that the content our expertise. (M&E) age (M&E) Host rock type / Reservoir rock type and structure of the data differs substantially in Production (M) Nr of oil producting wells (E) (M&E) each country. Access and use is further complicated The simplifications we used and the extensions by the fact that the data can be acquired in several made are discussed with the Thematic working Period of Production (M) Mineral deposit type (M) Nr of gas productiong wells (E) different institutions and at different levels of groups in detail, showing the tension between the Dimension of the deposit (M) Primary comodities (M) Nr of gas injecting wells (E) processing. None of the countries possesses a free availability of data desired by INSPIRE and Mining methods (M) Secondary comodities (M) Nr of oil / gas producting wells (E) system that could be regarded as an example for national laws providing to share this information Oil initially in Place (E) Main ore minerals / substance (M) Nr of water injecting wells (E) setting up the harmonised database of the publically. Gas initially in Place (E) Secondary ore minerals / substance (M) Nr of water / gas injecting wells (E) EuroGeoSource project, not even on a meta Cumulative oil production (E) Nr of CO2 injecting wells (E) database level. EuroGEoSoruce as a project has provided a solution for this by creating an energy of minerals producing Cumulative gas production (E) Hydrothermal alteration (M) Nr of producing / injecting wells (E) The attributes on mineral and energy data that the country to be able to public information on a Cumulative water production (E) Morphology of the deposit (M) Areal extent of field delimitation (E) project selected as key attributes are shown in country level instead of the’ mine’ level in INSPIRE. Cumulative gas injection (E) Regional deposit structure (M) Reservoir depth (E) figure 2. The consortium chose to use the UNFC Cumulative water injection (E) Dating method of mineralisation (M) Production strategy (E) (The United Nations Framework Classification for An infrastructure has successfully been created Remaining Oil reserves (E) Age of mineralisation (M) Installations (E) Fossil Energy and Mineral Resources) classification that enables the project partners to implement system because it covers both minerals and download services for harmonized energy and Remaining Gas reserves (E) energetic resources. This system is already in use mineral resources data. The services are operational Year of reporting (E) in three of the participating countries, the reserves at five project partners. All partners will come on Figure 2: Set of key economic attributes for minerals (M) and energy (E) resource or both (M&E). calculated in the other countries will be mapped as line during the final year of the project. Integrating expertise page 113 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

The tools needed to build this infrastructure, and The architecture of the system uses cloud EuroGeoSource system, even on a 3G network. the detailed cookbook describing how to computing to fulfil basic (non-) functional These prototypes as well as presentations of the implement is, will shortly be available for any other requirements (see figure 3). This facilitates and work done were presented at the 2nd public data provider not participating in EuroGeoSource. speeds up the EuroGeoSource tiling service, workshop, held in Rotterdam. Next to this public Diagram service and advances query options workshop the EuroGeoSource project has been The results of WP2, WP3 and WP4 have been used (search index). presented at international conferences and for main as input for WP6 to design the first prototype of the user groups, achieving awareness and EuroGeoSource portal which has been updated In addition to the desktop prototype (figure 4), dissemination of results. using remarks and feedback from the first we developed an Android prototype as well workshop, stakeholders, the advisory committee (Figure 5). The Android client opens up a whole and project members, resulting in a second new user perspective, and the implementation in prototype containing a multi-lingual user interface. the cloud guaranties smooth performance of the

Figure3: EGS architecture with (1) data/service provider, (2) central EGS Figure 4: Second prototype showing the overview of the Southern Permian implemented in the cloud and (3) service consumer. Basin Atlas maps and the Bathymetry as a map in the portal. Integrating expertise page 114 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

The second workshop was organised on the 8th of March 2012 in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Almost 80 participants listened to presentations from the Ministry of Environment and Infrastructure of Netherlands, Hungarian Office of Mining and Geology, DG Enterprise and Industry, JRC, INSPIRE, UNECE, Energistics, CETEM, Brazil, the Mineral Resources Expert Group within EuroGeoSurveys, Promine and of course representatives from the EuroGeoSource project itself. The workshop ended with a panel discussion.

The workshops allowed the project team to get some very valuable inputs, both from the invited experts speakers and the participants. The general feedback was very positive. In addition, the workshops are an important communication tool for dialogue between the potential community of users and the project team with the consequent Figure 5: Main screen of Android Prototype App (left hand side) and the added value to the future project developments. selection of layers (right hand side). Expected final results and their Collaborative framework Almost 100 attendants listened to representatives potential impact and use from the project, experts from OECD, DG On important task within the project is to build a Enterprise and Industry (Unit 3), EESC, JRC, In the coming year the portal will be tested and collaborative framework between the major Euromines, OGP, Academia (University of Luleå) updated. We expect that the portal will be an example players in the energy and mineral resources and a Representative from the Mining Authority of the next step in functionality for distributed web sectors of the EU economy. This framework will be from Portugal. In the audience the workshop had GIS information systems. The collaborative network built by organizing three workshops during the participants from Geological Surveys, Academia, will be extended. The visibility of the project will be execution of the project. The first of these Mining and Oil Industries, representatives from strengthened by our presence at the 7th EUREGEO workshops was organised on the 10th of March Promine, consulting companies, EU strategy/policy congress in Bologna, The Inspire 2012 congress in 2011 in Budapest Hungary. entities and representatives of the Istanbul and the 34th IGC meeting in Brisbane. EuroGeoSource’s advisory board. Integrating expertise page 115 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

Furthermore we will transform the final workshop in Copenhagen into an International congress to improve the impact of the project results.

More information and feedback on the project

Our website gives the latest information on the progress of the project and has had about 260 unique visitors each month from more then 24 countries worldwide. Any visitor can view and download all public deliverables and presentations there. The effect of our public workshops in March 2011 (270 visitors) and march 2012 (360) visitors.

Figure 6: User statistics of the project website. Number off unique visitors (green) and visited pages (blue) per month (left graph) and cumulative (right graph)since the start of the project.

The final presentation of the project results will be on the 12 th of March 2013 in Brussels. Integrating expertise page 116 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

Štátny geologický ústav Dionýza Štúra - Slovakia) of geothermal potentials and give guidelines for carry out together the project TRANSENERGY in a balanced fluid/heat production. the frame of the Central Europe Program, which will provide implementation tools and TRANENERGY’s final goal is to provide a user recommendations for the sustainable use of friendly, web-based decision supporting tool, which geothermal energy in the region. will show all relevant information on the potential, vulnerability and sustainability of the geothermal 2. Project objective and structure systems in the investigated transboundary regions, which have been selected because of already (Re)Search for common Geothermal Energy Worldwide there is a growing need on the existing utilization conflicts and their extreme in Central Europe - TRANSENERGY enhanced use of renewable energies due to the sensitivity for any further intervention by different increasing energy demand of the globe, restricted management policies in the neighboring countries. 1. Introduction reserves of fossil fuels and considerations related The Slovenian - Austrian - Hungarian cross border to anthropogenic emission of carbon-dioxide pilot area (Bad Radkersburg - Hodoš) includes The carrying medium of geothermal energy is affecting the climate system of the Earth. territories of the Styrian and Mura-Zala basins thermal groundwater that subsurface flow paths where thermal groundwaters are widely utilized. are linked to geological structures cross-cutting The Pannonian basin, in Central Europe lies on a However unharmonized management strategies state borders. Thermal water extraction from the characteristic positive geothermal anomaly, with between the different utilization schemes (direct same transboundary geothermal reservoir at a heat flow up to 110-130 mW/m2 and geothermal heat and balneology) led to unnecessarily national level without cross-border harmonized gradient of about 45 °C/km, about 1.5 times bigger excessive use of thermal waters, also including management strategies may cause negative than the continental average. The large hydro­ transboundary conflicts between Austria and impacts, such as drops in pressure and temperature, geothermal reservoirs which store deep circulating Slovenia. A similar cross-border utilization conflict which might influence the bordering countries. thermal groundwaters are shared by Hungary lying exists in the Lutzmannsburg - Zsira pilot area. The sustainable utilization of transboundary in the central part of the Pannonian basin, and its geothermal reservoirs therefore should count on neighboring countries. The abstraction of thermal water for a recently built joint management strategies of neighboring large spa in Lutzmannsburg (Austria) next to the countries. This need was recognized by four Thermal water extraction from the same trans­ border resulted in a continuously decreasing Central European countries (Hungary, Slovenia, boundary geothermal reservoir at a national level groundwater level on the Hungarian side. Austria and Slovakia) which share transboundary without cross-border harmonized management The northern part of the Vienna basin is one of geothermal energy resources in the western part strategies may cause negative impacts (depletion the most important hydrocarbon exploitation areas of the Pannonian basin. The national geological or overexploitation) leading to economic and in Central Europe, therefore an ideal site to study surveys (Magyar Földtani és Geofizikai Intézet - political tensions between countries. Therefore links and potential conflicts between the multi- Hungary (lead partner), Geološki zavod Slovenije - only the establishment of a joint, multi-national purpose utilization of the same reservoirs, in Slovenia, Geologische Bundesanstalt - Austria, management system may handle the assessment collaboration with Austria and Slovakia. Integrating expertise page 117 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

The Danube Basin pilot area provides excellent from the four countries is one of the main regional evaluation of geothermal resources of the opportunities to establish closer links with achievements of TRANSENERGY which provides a region. Development agencies, potential investors groundwater management issues at international common platform for the different geological, and present thermal water users will be able to level, as in this region aggregated groundwater hydrogeological and geothermal models serving identify their advantages and disadvantages in bodies, also storing large amount of thermal water the basis of further evaluations. The partner comparison to other regions/users and gain more have been already delineated at ICPDR level. geological surveys, as responsible organizations for sensible information on possible future development The Komarno-Sturovo pilot area is a typical karstic the collection, evaluation and storage of national on selected sites. transboundary aquifer shared by Slovakia and geoscientific data had a key role in the successful Hungary. The Hungarian part of this area was performance of this task. The joint, multi-lingual Project name: Transboundary geothermal seriously affected by karstwater withdrawal due to database contains harmonized datasets from 1686 energy resources of Slovenia, Austria, bauxite and coal mining in the 1980-90’s, when the boreholes, out of which data from 1041 boreholes Hungary and Slovakia - TRANSENERGY depression of karstwater level led to the drying of (115 AT, 128 SLO, 742 HU and 56 SK) are available many lukewarm springs. After mines were closed for the public at the project website. Website: http://transenergy-eu.geologie.ac.at and withdrawal finished, the rehabilitation started in the region. The geological models show the depth and Contact: Annamária Nádor, project leader geological buildup (based on a harmonized legend) Geological and Geophysical Institute of Hungary In the overview of existing geothermal energy of 8 subsurface horizons which are the key input H-1143 Budapest, Stefánia 14. utilization in the TRANSENERGY region altogether for the hydrogeological and geothermal models. [email protected] 172 geothermal energy users were identified that Altogether 16 geothermal maps show temperature are condensed along some densely exploited distributions and various evaluations of geothermal ERDF fund: 2 354 3868 euro areas, especially near the state borders. Altogether potential of the entire project area. Hydrogeological 17 different ways of utilization types were models display the potential fields and main Duration: April 2010-March 2013 (36 months) recognized, of which bathing and swimming is the flowpaths of the regional thermal groundwater most abundant in all 4 countries, however space system crossing state borders, as well as preliminary heating is noteworthy in Slovenia and Slovakia. scenario analyses on the transboundary effects of Re-injection of the water utilized for energetic thermal water abstractions in the countries. purposes is minimal. Various aspects of existing thermal water utilization are displayed on All above mentioned maps and models and many 12 thematic maps. other outputs are available at the project website: http://transenergy-eu.geologie.ac.at either as A main challenge in such projects is to handle downloadable reports, or interactive web-maps. heterogeneous data, often with different availability due to national policies, as well as diverse quantity Targeted stakeholders of the TRANSENERGY and quality. Data harmonization and integration project are authorities and investors, who will get a page 118 I EGS 2011 Annual Report page 119 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

Publications

MÁFI (Hungarian Survey) had two major Belgian Geological Survey J. Satkūnas; Lietuvos geologijos tarnyba. - publications: Vilnius, 2011. - 121, [1] p.: iliustr. - Liet., angl. - • Baeteman, C., Waller, M., Kiden, P. 2011 ISSN 1392-7272 (Lithuanian Geological Survey: • Bárdossy, György: The Nyirád-east bauxite deposit. Reconstructing middle to late Holocene sea-level Annual Report 2010) change: A methodological review with particular • Földvári, Mária: Handbook of thermogravimetric reference to 'A new Holocene sea-level curve • Klimato kaita Klaipėdos mieste ir rajone: poveikis, system of minerals and its use in geological for the southern North Sea' as presented by kaina ir prisitaikymas / Autorių kolektyvas. - practice. K.-E. Behre. Boreas 40, 4 557-572 Vilnius: Vilniaus universitetas, 2012. - 120 p. (Evaluation of climate change in Klaipėda city and Czech Geological Survey. • Burlet, C., Vanbrabant, Y., Goethals, H., Thys, T., district: Impacts, Costs and Adaptation) Dupin, L. 2011 Raman spectroscopy as a tool to • Kotková J. - O´Brien P. J.- Ziemann M. A. (2011a): characterize heterogenite (CoO.OH) (Katanga Polish Geological Institute - National Diamond and coesite discovered in Saxony-type Province, Democratic Republic of Congo) Research Institute - PGI-NRI granulite: Solution to the Variscan garnet Spectrochimicaacta Part A: Molecular and peridotite enigma. - Geology 39, 7, 667-670. biomolecular spectroscopy 80 138-147 • Hesselbo Stephen P., PIEŃKOWSKI GRZEGORZ; ISSN 0091-7613. DOI 10.1130/G31971.1. Stepwise atmospheric carbon isotope excursion • Welkenhuysen, K., Piessens, K., Baele, J.-M., during the early jurassic oceanic anoxic event; • Novák M. - Zemanová L. - Voldřichová P. Laenen, B., Dusar, M. 2011 CO2 storage Earth and Planetary Science Letters; 2011, Vol. - Štěpánová M. - Adamová M. - Pacherová P. - opportunities in Belgium Energy Procedia 4 301, nr 1-2, s. 365-372 Komárek A. - Krachler M. - Přechová E. (2011): 4913-4920 Experimental Evidence for Mobility/Immobility of • Zhang, T., TRELA, W., Jiang S.Y., Nielsen J.K., Metals in Peat. - Environmental Science & Lithuanian Geological Survey, & Shen, Y., 2011. Major oceanic redox condition Technology 45, 17, 7180-7187. ISSN 0013-936X. change correlated with the rebound of marine DOI 10.1021/es201086v. • Lietuvos požeminio vandens monitoringas animal diversity during the Late Ordovician. 2005-2010 metais ir kiti hidrogeologiniai darbai Geology, 39: 675-678 • Oulehle F. - Evans C. D.- Hofmeister J. - Krejčí R. straipsnių rinkinys / J. Arustienė, J. Giedraitienė ... - Tahovská K. - Persson T. - Cudlín P. - Hruška J. et al.; ats. red. K. Kadūnas; Lietuvos geologijos • SZEWCZYK JAN, NAWROCKI JERZY; Deep- (2011): Major changes in forest carbon and tarnyba. - Vilnius: LGT, 2011. - 158, [1] p.: iliustr. seated relict permafrost in northeastern Poland; nitrogen cycling caused by declining sulphur (Groundwater monitoring in Lithuania 2005-2010 Boreas; 2011, Vol. 40, nr 3, s. 385-388 deposition. - Global Change Biology 17, 10, and other hydrogeological works) 3115-3129. ISSN 1354-1013. DOI • García-Veigas Javier, Cendón Dioni I., Pueyo 10.1111/j.1365-2486.2011.02468.x. • Lietuvos geologijos tarnybos 2010 metų veiklos Juan J., PERYT TADEUSZ MAREK; Zechstein rezultatai: [metinė ataskaita] = Lithuanian saline brines in Poland, evidence of overturned Geological Survey: Annual Report 2010 / ats. red. anoxic ocean during the Late Permian mass Publications page 120 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

extinction event; Chemical Geology; 2011, Vol. • Johnson, Christopher C.; Demetriades, Alecos; 290,nr 3-4, s. 189-201 Locutura, Juan; Ottesen, Rolf Tore, eds. 2011 Mapping the chemical environment of urban • SŁOWAKIEWICZ MIROSŁAW, MIKOŁAJEWSKI areas. Wiley, 640pp. (Chris Johnson was the chief ZBIGNIEW; Upper Permian Main Dolomite editor of this book, which contains a number of BGS microbial carbonates as potential source rocks for contributions, and seems to fit well with EGS.) hydrocarbons (W Poland); Marine and Petroleum Geology; 2011, Vol. 28, nr 8, s. 1572-1591 Institute of Geology and Mineral Exploration - IGME British Geological Surveys • Luis Carcavilla Urquí y Jaime Palacio Suárez- • Booth, K.A.; Brayson, J. 2011 Geology, landscape Valgrande - GEOSITES. Aportación española al and human interactions : examples from the Isle patrimonio geológico mundial edited by: Instituto of Wight. Proceedings of the Geologists' Geológico y Minero de España, pages: 231, ISBN Association, 122 (5). 938-948. 10.1016/j. 9788478408559 pgeola.2011.01.004 (This is one of the papers in the recent PGA volume dedicated to the work of BGS on this island.)

• Jones, L.D.; Terrington, R.. 2011 Modelling volume change potential in the London clay. Quarterly Journal of Engineering Geology and Hydrogeology, 44 (1). 109-122. 10.1144/1470- 9236/08-112 (This paper was runner up in the Natural Hazards category of the Lloyds Science of Risk Price run by Lloyds [www.lloyds.com/ The-Market/Tools-and-Resources/Research/ Exposure-Management/Emerging-risks/~/media/ Files/The%20Market/Tools%20and%20resources/ Exposure%20management/Science%20of%20 Risk/2011/repeated%20sor%20booklet.pdf]) page 121 I EGS 2011 Annual Report page 122 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

There’s more

hominid remains dating from that prehistoric SIGME is the first Spanish Public l

i a EL PROYECTO GLOBAL GEOSITES d period, Lathe histor iaoldest de nuestro P lafoundneta se in Europe. The interpretation n A finales de los años 90 la Unión Internacional de las Ciencias Geo- Research Institution that acquires a deduce a partir de lugares que han lógicas (IUGS), con el co-patrocinio de la UNESCO, puso en marcha una ambiciosa iniciativa global para acometer un inventario mundial guardado en sus rocas un registro o m u de patrimonio geológico: el proyecto Global Geosites. paleontological site of the fossils,excepcional de whichlos acontecim iehasntos revealed the existence of En España, ha sido el Instituto Geológico y Minero de España o l ó g i c del pasado. P R O Y E C T O (IGME) el organismo encargado de desarrollar el proyecto Global this savannah located at the foot of Sierra Nevada, Geosites. Durante más de diez años, expertos del IGME han des- i o g e España, país que destaca por su arrollado el proyecto, contando con la colaboración más de 70 in- vestigadores de numerosas universidades y centros de investigación. geodiversidad, guarda algunas En total, fueron identificados 142 lugares de interés geológico de has been directed by Alfonso Arribas Herrera, from i m o n IGME has purchased 25Ha of the land containing de estas joyas geológicas que son t r relevancia internacional que son descritos en este libro, y que cons- a tituyen la aportación española al patrimonio geológico mundial.

referencia para la comunidad científica l p the Palaentological Site of Fonelas P-1 in Granada. the Geologicalinternacional. En eSurveyste libro se descr ibofe Spain. The experts do not a Luis Carcavilla Urquí (Castellón de la Plana, Comunidad Valen- ciana) estudió Ciencias Geológicas en la Universidad Complutense el significado e importancia de estos o l a

ñ de Madrid. Se doctoró en la Universidad Autónoma de Madrid con dismiss,priv iinlegia dtheos encl acourseves españoles q uofe these works in Fonelas, a una tesis sobre la gestión del patrimonio geológico y la geodiversi- The site hosts thousand of fossil bones of s p dad. Es I Investigador Titular del Instituto Geológico y Minero de Es-

forman parte del patrimonio geológico e GEO paña (IGME). Ha publicado numerosos artículos científicos y de mundial. i ó n divulgación, incluyendo diversas guías geológicas. Una de ellas, la which will be pursued in the next years, the finding c exceptionally preserved mammals representing a Guía Geológica del Alto Tajo, recientemente re-editada por el IGME, t a recibió en el año 2009 el galardón internacional “Ciencia en Acción”

Este libro divulgativo está escrito para o r como la mejor obra iberoamericana de divulgación científica en so- continental ecosystem of 2 million years ago. of hominidpersonas qremainsue, sin necesidad dewhich tener would be revolutionary. A p porte papel de ese año. conocimientos geológicos, tengan

O Jaime Palacio Suárez-Valgrande (Gijón, Asturias) es geólogo por

S SITES curiosidad por conocer los tesoros de la Universidad Complutense de Madrid. Inició su actividad en el

T Aportación española al la rica geología española, a lo largo campo del Patrimonio Geológico en el año 1978, cuando participó de sus más de 600 millones de años C en la elaboración y desarrollo de la primera Metodología de Inven- patrimonio geológico mundial tariado y Catalogación de Puntos de Interés Geológico de España I T E The objective of the purchase is to preserve such E The site of Fonelas, in the Guadix-Baza basin, hosts de historia. (PIG). Ha realizado y publicado numerosos trabajos sobre patrimo- S Y nio para el Instituto Geológico y Minero de España (IGME), Princi- O

O pado de Asturias, Gobierno de Navarra, Comunidad Autónoma de fossils of big mammals completely new in Europe. paleontological heritage and the group of rocks Madrid y ENRESA. A lo largo de más de treinta años ha organizado R reuniones científicas, coordinado y realizado diversas publicaciones, P

G E e inventariado, descrito, catalogado e informatizado, puntos y lugares Such remains of organic origin have been found in containing the scientific information regarding the de interés geológico en casi todo el territorio nacional. Ha partici- pado activamente, desde su inicio, en la realización del proyecto Global Geosites, y en la publicación que ha dado origen a la pre- the dry meander of a riverbed which was a feeding geological and environmental history of the Guadix sente obra divulgativa. through for hyenas. This kind of fossils can be Basin during the Lower Pleistocene (between 2,5 usually found in places such as on the edge of and 0,8 Ma), as well as facilitating its systematic lakes. However, in this case it seems like if hyenas excavation and permanent research and preserving had moved animal rests which died in the flooded such vast heritage in situ in the deposit itself. sands to this abandoned channel. This would explain the wide variety of animal species IGME plans to develop a pioneering facility in the site preserved, many unknown for scientists. Apart (the Paleontological Station Valle del Rio Fardes) from hyenas, river wild boars, giraffes, wolf which will host a variety of research, popularization ancestors and sabre-toothed felines used to live in and educations activities related with earth sciences. the Andalusian savannah 1.8 million years ago.

The findings in the deposit seem to imply a modification on the keys of the transit from the Pliocene to the Pleistocene. According to the scientific team of researchers’ data, the faunal dispersion of man ancestors from Africa to Eurasia would be more westerly than supposed. In the site of Granada, there have not yet appeared hominid remains but there are animal remains similar to those of the sites of Dmanisi (Georgia) where there were There’s more page 123 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

Found alive in Namibia a fossil fly First evidences of tsunamis in thought extinct Tenerife (Canary Islands)

IGME researchers described in 1999 a fly of the A research directed by IGME researcher Mercedes genus Alavesia inside Cretaceous amber (110 My). Ferrer, has found the first evidences of tsunami Now in a recent issue of Systematic Entomology, deposits in the coast of Tenerife. Such tsunamis Dr. Sinclair from Canada and Dr.Kirk-Spriggs of created 50m high waves and are associated to the South Africa have described new species of this fly destruction of the volcanic edifice of Las Cañadas, in a remote area (Brandberg Massif) of the vast previous to the current Teide volcano. desert of northeast Namibia. This recent findings of a creature though extinct, The characteristics and composition of the allows to believe in a possible “Lost World” located deposits, point to its relationship to explosive in the Brandberg Massif, as it seems this place is a eruptions that happened 150.000 to 180.000 years refuge for primitive living creatures. The site is a ago. Teno tsunamites are composed by detrital mountainous region formed by a circular granitic sediments with fragments of shells, corals and intrusion of 650 km2 were several years ago living even fish remains and lay over the Teno lavas mantofasmid insects were found that had already located in the north-western coast of Tenerife. been described in Baltic amber by Spanish experts. This finding is exceptional as it is very difficult to It is possible that this region might be a window to find tsunami deposit in the Canary islands due to remote times where insects have evolved its abrupt coasts and the absence of costal unchanged due to isolation. platforms were they could be deposited and later preserved. There’s more page 124 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

Investigation of the new iron The meteorite Javorje is the third meteorite and BGS won 3rd place in the meteorite Javorje at Geological the second iron meteorite reported from the Storytelling with Maps competition Survey of Slovenia territory of Slovenia. It is also the largest and the first meteorite in Slovenia designated as a find iGeology was voted the top Community Favourite Miloš MILER and Mateja GOSAR without an observed fall. Mobile App at the ESRI International User Geological Survey of Slovenia, Dimičeva ulica Conference in July 2011, where it also won 3rd 14, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia The Javorje meteorite was approved by the place in the Storytelling with Maps competition. Meteoritical Society [www.lpi.usra.edu/meteor] “You are the Community Favorite 1st place winner A rusty iron mass was found by Mr. Vladimir Štibelj and complete description of it was published in paper for Best Mobile App and the 3rd place winner for while constructing a cut for a new forest road about “Mineral and chemical composition of the new iron Best Mobile App in the Storytelling with Maps 30 km northwest of Ljubljana, Slovenia. The find meteorite Javorje from Slovenia” (Miler & Gosar, contest for your mobile app iGeology.” was brought to the Geological Survey of Slovenia 2011) in Meteoritics & Planetary Science journal. [www.bgs.ac.uk/iGeology/newsAug11.html] where all necessary chemical and mineralogical investigations using SEM/EDS were made to prove that the find was a meteorite.

The single-piece iron meteorite Javorje, with nearly five kilograms, is the heaviest and largest meteorite found in the territory of Slovenia. It is a medium octahedrite with kamacite bandwidth of 0.85 ± 0.26 mm. The bulk composition of Ni (7.83 wt%), Co (0.48 wt%) and trace elements Ga (25 μg/g), Ge (47 μg/g), Ir (7.6 μg/g), As (5.8 μg/g), Au (0.47 Meteorite Javorje, covered with a thick crust of oxidation μg/g), and Pt (13.4 μg/g) indicates that the products. Scale bar is 1 cm. meteorite Javorje belongs to the chemical group IIIAB. The presence of numerous rhabdites, carlsbergite, sparse troilite and chromite and abundance of daubréelites are in accordance with low-Ni and low-P IIIAB iron meteorites. The severely weathered surface and secondary weathering products in the interior of the meteorite suggest its high terrestrial age. Surface of polished slab of meteorite Javorje a) before etching and b) after etching. After etching, the Widmanstätten patterns are very distinct. Scale bar is 1 cm. page 125 I EGS 2011 Annual Report

EGS wishes to thank all the contributors to this Report. the Expert Groups Chairpersons and all the authors In particular Claudia Delfini, who was responsible for of the various different sections. the overall coordination, Woody Hunter, Patrick Wall,

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